LOMBOK, Indonesia - Australia and Indonesia today will sign a historic new security pact reinforcing cooperation on counter-terrorism, border security and intelligence.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda will sign the seven-page document on the Indonesian island of Lombok this evening.
It will
then need to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries, Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said yesterday.
It is the first formal security agreement between the two countries since Indonesia scrapped the previous treaty during the East Timor crisis in 1999.
The wide-ranging pact covers 10 key areas such as defence, law enforcement, counter terrorism, intelligence, energy, aviation and maritime security and emergency aid.
"It's very important that we have a cooperative relationship with Indonesia in defence ties," Dr Nelson said.
"The treaty will in a sense formalise what we are already doing."
Most criticism centres on a promise by both countries to respect each others' territorial integrity and not to support secessionist movements.
The pledge on separatism follows a row between the two countries earlier this year when Australia granted protection to 43 Papuan asylum seekers.
- AAP
