PANO – Admiral Agus Suhartono, Chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), is on a working visit to Vietnam from July 25th to 27th, at the invitation of Senior Lieutenant-General Do Ba Ty, Deputy Defence Minister cum Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.
His visit to Vietnam will contribute to promoting friendship and cooperation between the two nations’ peoples and armies in the coming time.
Vietnam and Indonesia first established diplomatic relations on December 20th 1955. Since 1990, the bilateral relations witnessed a new turning point, especially when Vietnam was admitted to ASEAN.
During President Truong Tan Sang’s official visit to Indonesia, at the invitation of President of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in late June, the two leaders decided to establish the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia.
Admiral Agus Suhartono presents a gift to Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army after their talks at the Headquarters of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence on July 26th
Meanwhile, the two countries’ national defence cooperation has benefited from their good political relationship.
Indonesia opened a Defence Attaché Office in Vietnam in 1964, and Vietnam did the same in Indonesia in 1985.
In October 2010, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation.
Over the recent years, both Vietnam and Indonesia exchanged high-ranking military delegations, including the official visit to Indonesia by Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh in May 2011 and the working visits to Vietnam by the Indonesian Naval Commander-in-Chief in May 2012 and Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister in June 2013.
The two sides also inked the Terms of Reference on Navy to Navy Talks in May 2012, and held the first meeting in June 2013.
In addition, the two Ministries of National Defence carried out an array of activities to share experience and information on issues of mutual concern, such as the national defence industry, logistics and weapons production.
In June 2013, the Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister visited Vietnam to introduce an airplane made by an Indonesian joint venture to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence for finding cooperation opportunity.
At multilateral forums, Vietnam and Indonesia have actively and proactively stood up for each other in the framework of ASEAN member nations’ national defence cooperation and between ASEAN and its partners, contributing to heightening their positions and roles, as well as enhancing solidarity and unity for the ASEAN community.
During the Indonesian Admiral’s visit to Vietnam, the two sides plan to review their activities and agree on cooperation direction for the coming time.
From that point, Vietnam and Indonesia’s national defence cooperation looks promising.
Translated by Van Hieu
Đăng ký: VietNam News