Press Conference, Yogyakarta

SUBJECT/S: Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Agreement

INDONESIAN MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, PRABOWO SUBIANTO: Your Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles MP and delegation. I commented a few minutes ago that we have signed this Defence Cooperation Agreement, which signifies our commitment to cooperate closely for the mutual benefit and for the enhancement of both our national interests. We respect Australia's sovereign right to uphold your security, and we also understand that you respect our national interest. Australia has been one of the first countries to support our independence. We respect that, and we will never forget that you defended us in our struggle for independence. And this, I think, is something that a young generation should always remember. I look forward to continue supporting and enhancing this relationship in the months and years to come. Once again, thank you, Your Excellency, for coming all the way to our best academy, and we hope that we will cooperate more successfully in years to come.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES: Can I personally thank Prabowo for hosting me and my delegation here at the Indonesian Military Academy. We're deeply honoured and impressed by the array that's provided us today. It was great to receive Prabowo in Canberra last week. We are the closest of friends and that is being seen in the agreement that we have signed today. The Defence Cooperation Agreement between our two nations is the deepest, it's the most significant defence agreement in the history of our bilateral relationship. We well understand Indonesia is a traditional [inaudible]. That is the heritage of this country. We respect it, we acknowledge it, but most importantly, we like it. It is very much in Australia's interest to have a [inaudible] with Indonesia as our closest neighbour. So, this agreement is not for military alliance. But what it is an agreement that we will work much more closely together in defence cooperation. We will see a much greater interoperability between our defence forces. An ability to operate from each other's countries, and on that basis we can work much more closely together on our shared interests. Most significantly of which is maintaining the global rules based order. This is an important piece of international architecture. A treaty-level agreement, but what it underpins is substance.

Later this year in November, Exercise Keris Woomera will be the biggest bilateral exercise between our two countries. There's 2,000 personnel from Australia and Indonesian defence forces working together, exercising together. It's across fields of air, land and sea, it is the most complex exercise that we will have seen. Australia's LHD vessel will be part of the exercise as will our F-35s. Today I can announce that the exercise will be extended to include a cyber dimension as well, which in Australia will be implemented through for Australian airports. This exercise is not only the biggest exercise that our two countries have done, it is the biggest exercise that Australia will do outside of our nation this year. And this exercise has been developed in contemplation of what we signed today in the Defence Cooperation Agreement. It is an example of our two countries working much more closely together; it is an example of how this time, in our history, we see each other relying on security of each other and working much more closely together to develop that.

We could not be happier and more pleased with that outcome. Can I say that in Prabowo, the Australian sees a great friend. We really appreciate the work you've done as the Minister of Defence, and obviously we look forward to your impending presidency. It is a very significant step coming off the back of what has been, in the presidency of President Widodo, a period where our financial relationship has been as close as it has ever been in our history. And we think this is a really significant moment in being able to over a long period of time change the trajectory in such a positive way between our two countries. Finally, at a personal level, can I just express my thanks [inaudible] it means a lot to me and together we've been able to take a very significant step forward for both of our countries.

ENDS