Indonesia denies halting all military cooperation with Australia
Indonesian media report the row erupted after a visiting special forces instructor found teaching materials he deemed disrespectful towards his country’s armed forces
Indonesia has not suspended all military and defence cooperation with Australia over a perceived offence to national dignity, contrary to media reports, an Indonesian Cabinet minister said on Thursday in an apparent softening of the country’s stance.
“It is not the suspension of all defence cooperation as reported by the media,” Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto said in a statement.
Wiranto said the military merely suspended “activities regarding a cooperation program in Indonesian-language classes at [a facility of] Australia’s special forces, due to a case that hurt national dignity in November 2016.”
He said the suspension of language classes is only temporary and would resume after the Australian side takes necessary measures to resolve the issue.
The two neighbours revealed on Wednesday military cooperation had been put on ice last month after teaching materials deemed offensive to Jakarta were found at an Australian army base.