MFA Spokesman's Comments on Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono's remarks

In response to press queries on Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono's remarks that Singapore's demand for 15 days a month for exercises in Area Bravo in South China Sea is unacceptable, and Singapore is deliberately making Area Bravo an issue so as to stall the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and avoid implementing the Extradition Treaty (ET), and that Indonesia had forwarded a proposal regarding the terms of Singapore's training in Indonesia but Singapore had yet to respond, the MFA Spokesman said:

"Minister Juwono should be fully aware of the contents of the DCA, which he signed, and the 4 Implementing Agreements (IAs) which were agreed to on 23 April in Singapore. Contrary to what he is reported to have said, Singapore has made no new requests of Indonesia. Rather it is Indonesia which refused on 7 May to sign the IAs which had been agreed on 23 April, and asked for substantive changes to the documents. This is the crux of the matter. Indonesia had repeatedly assured Singapore that it would not depart from what was agreed upon. With that assurance, and in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, Singapore had made a proposal to Indonesia on how to move the process forward. We are still waiting for Indonesia's reply."
. . . . .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
6 JULY 2007