Putin signs Major Indonesia arms deal
Pastor Dale Morgan
Putin signs Major Indonesia arms deal*
Peter Walker and agencies
Thursday September 6, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Vladimir Putin today signed a major arms deal on a visit to Indonesia,
signalling Russia's intent to extend its influence in another country
with traditionally close links to the US.
The Russian president stopped over in Jakarta for a one-day visit, on
his way to the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec)
group in Sydney.
The visit - the first to the country by a Russian or Soviet leader in
more than half a century - saw Mr Putin formally agree a £500m credit
arrangement for Indonesia, tied in with a deal for the country to
purchase 15 helicopters, 20 tanks, and two submarines from Russia.
"We have agreed to expand cooperation in areas we consider most
important such as energy and mining, aviation, communications and
others," Mr Putin said after talks with the Indonesian president, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono.
"There's a good perspective to work together in the military and
technical fields."
Previously, Indonesia was heavily reliant on Washington for its military
hardware, although its air force also uses UK-made Hawk jets, sold to
the repressive former regime of President Suharto despite protests from
human rights groups.
"Part of [the deal with Russia] is to reduce our dependency on the
United States," said Indonesia's defence minister, Juwono Sudarsono.
Mr Putin's visit follows his country's first ever joint military
exercises with China on Russian soil last month, as well as similar
deals for fighter jets with other south-east Asian nations, among them
Malaysia.
Mr Putin expressed eagerness to strengthen ties with Indonesia, the
world's most populous Muslim nation. A series of energy deals worth
billions of dollars will also be clinched today.
"We are ready to enhance cooperation with all interested parties to
building an equitable world order, ensuring stability and security at
both global and regional levels," the Russian leader wrote in an opinion
piece in today's Jakarta Post newspaper.
Mr Putin, who is accompanied by a number of business tycoons, is the
first Russian leader to visit Indonesia since the Soviet premier Nikita
Khrushchev met Indonesia's first president, Sukarno.
The visit comes with relations between Russia and the US - not to
mention Russia and the UK - distinctly tepid. While Washington has
criticised Russia's democracy record, Moscow mistrusts America's global
dominance and has been courting allies around the world.
Indonesia, which has already spent heavily on Russian fighter jets, was
a major customer for US weaponry until Washington cut military ties in
1999 over human rights concerns. The ban was lifted in 2005, but Jakarta
has continued to look elsewhere.
The Hawk jets sold by Britain have been used by the Indonesian military
over both East Timor and Aceh, despite assurances at the time of sale
that they would not take part in counter-insurgency action.