US, Indonesia Announce Stepped Up Military Cooperation

Posted July 24th, 2011 at 11:40 pm (UTC-5)
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The United States says it will conduct about 140 joint military security exercises with Indonesia during the current fiscal year.

The U.S. State Department said the U.S. Department of Justice has also provided 19 patrol boats, which the Indonesian Marine Police have deployed throughout the archipelago.

The initiatives were announced Sunday as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met her Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa following an international conference in Bali. The department said the moves demonstrate advancing military cooperation between the two countries.

The State Department said it is also paying for a record number of Indonesians and Americans to participate in student and faculty exchanges.

Sunday's talks marked the second Joint Commission meeting of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership.

The partnership is a long-term commitment to boost bilateral relations by enhancing cooperation and upgrading strategic consultation on key issues. It was begun in November of 2010 by U.S. President Barack Obama and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.