REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The US will sell Apache helicopters to Indonesia and support modernization of Indonesian Armed Forces to more than 1.5 billion USD. The commitment is among other points under the agreement signed by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and the visiting US Secretary of State John F Kerry.
During the visit on Feb. 17, Kerry and Natalegawa agreed to expand US defense equipment sales to Indonesia, according the press release by the US Department of State on US-Indonesia Fourth Joint Commission Meeting. The agreement was cemented in the fourth Joint Commission Meeting of the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership.
Negotiation will be continued on Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA). This cooperation aims at promoting interoperability between our respective armed forces and support Indonesian Armed Forces modernization.
Indonesia and the US plan further cooperation to repatriate the remains of 1,891 American service members from World War II still missing in Indonesian territory.
In political cooperation, the US will cooperate with the Indonesian National Election Commission and Election Oversight body, election training sessions for 972 women candidates. The training is aimed at equipping these candidates with the skills to become candidates for elective office, and, if elected, to effectively represent their constituencies.