Indonesia waits for new Philippine administration to finalize details on joint security measures

From The Jakarta Post (Jun 29): Indonesia waits for new Philippine administration to finalize details on joint security measures



Indonesian President Joko Widodo (center) talks with (from left to right) Philippine Navy Chief Rear Adm. Caesar C. Taccad, Philippine Foreign Minister Jose Rene Almendras, Malaysian Armed Forces Chief Gen. Zulkifeli Mohd. Zin, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo and State Secretary Minister Pratikno during their trilateral meeting on maritime security issues at the Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta, Central Java, May 5. The gathering was held following the kidnappings of Indonesian and Malaysian crewmen by Abu Sayyaf militants in the waters off southern Philippines where Indonesia share a border. (AP/Rana Dyandra)

Jakarta will wait for the new Philippine government to finalize the details on an agreement that will allow Indonesia to join security operations with the Philippines should another hostage-taking incident occur in the future.

Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government was still in the process of deliberating the measures within the agreement that would be followed up on as the new Philippine administration under President Rodrigo Duterte was inaugurated only last week.

"We cannot give details yet since we are waiting for the plans to progress pending the new [Philippine] administration taking office," Luhut told journalists on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Ryamizard assured reporters that the new government under Duterte would not change the Philippines' current stance that had agreed to allow Indonesia enter its territory should in future Filipino militant groups again kidnap Indonesian sailors.

Ryamizard said the successor of Philippine Defense Minister Voltaire Gazmin had also attended the coordination meeting with Indonesia, adding that discussions between both countries had been conveyed to Duterte himself. The decision to allow Indonesian forces to enter Philippine territory and join security operations in the case of another abduction of Indonesian nationals by militant groups came up in a meeting between Ryamizard and Gazmin on Sunday, on the heels of Indonesia's efforts to secure the release of seven Indonesian sailors abducted by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in the waters off southern Philippines on June 20.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/29/indonesia-waits-for-new-philippine-administration-to-finalize-details-on-joint-security-measures.html