REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PADANG -- United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O. Blake affirmed that relations between his country and Jakarta were getting better.
"Since the past few years, relations between the United States and Indonesia are at the best level," Blake remarked onboard the P-8 Poseidon aircraft on Tuesday.
He explained that the sound relations between the United States and Indonesia were apparent from the various war exercises conducted jointly, including the Komodo exercise in Padang, West Sumatra, from April 12 to 16, 2016.
The Indonesian Navy is hosting the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2016 to coincide with the IFR 2016 and the 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Padang and Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra Province.
The participating countries are the United States, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, France, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam.
Blake noted that the United States had sent its warship USS Stockdale and P-8 Poseidon aircraft to support the MNEK 2016 in Padang.
"The exercise is viewed not only from the aspect of how frequently it is held but also from its level of difficulty and complexity," the US envoy noted.
Blake expressed pride that Indonesia had involved the United States as a key partner in the MNEK 2016.
"In addition to strengthening cooperation among countries, this activity would hopefully offer other benefits including improving disaster management, curbing illegal fishing, and so forth," Blake added.
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