Краткое содержание сообщения индонезийского информагентства - начальник вооружений ВС Индонезии после создания российско-индонезийской межправккомиссии по ВТС заявил, что теперь они все будут покупать хорошо и без посредников, а хотя купить свыше 12 Су, авианосец (!!!!) и ракеты. В то время как покупать в США и ЕС, нессмотря на послабления эмбарго после цунами, по прежнему сложно, а с Израилем нет дипотношений
INDONESIA: RUSSIA OFFERS ARMS AND KNOW-HOW
Jakarta, 28 Sept. (AKI) - Russia has offered cash-strapped Indonesia more facilities to buy arms and opportunities to master defence technology against the backdrop of an arms embargo imposed by Indonesia's traditional weapons supplier, the United States. Both countries have agreed on "a simple mechanism" for arms deals in the future, including Indonesia's plan to buy 12 more Sukhoi jet fighters, as well as an aircraft carrier and missiles, according to Indonesia's defence ministry director general of procurement, Pieter Wattimena.
"Russia has offered us a counter-trade mechanism and the payments are negotiable as Russia has also agreed to open bank accounts to channel export credits to Indonesia," said Wattimena, who recently returned from a visit to Russia.
Pieter led a previous delegation to Moscow, negotiate the purchase of weaponry for the four Sukhois Indonesia bought in 2003. The purchases sparked controversy in the Indonesian parliament, at a time when some lawmakers have accused the government of paying too much for the jets, minus the necessary weaponry.
The parliament approved a budget allocation of 2.1 billion dollars for defense in the 2005 tax year, accounting for 6 percent of the overall budget. For the 2006 tax year, the government has proposed an increase of 193 million dollars.
Around 70 percent of the budget has always been spent on the upkeep of Indonesian army (TNI) soldiers.
Wattimena said Indonesia and Russia were seeking closer defence cooperation through a transfer of know-how and technology, and the accreditation of Indonesian military products under Russian license. The Indonesian defence ministry has suggested to Russia that such cooperation involve state shipbuilder PT PAL, aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia and the Army Industrial Affairs Center (Pindad).
Indonesia has been desperately seeking new arms suppliers to help it modernise its weaponry, after the United States imposed an embargo 13 years ago, following the violent suppression of a demonstration in then-province of East Timor by the Indonesian authorities. East Timor gained independence from Indonesia after a referendum in 1999.
Washington eased the embargo after the tsunami devastated Aceh and the island of Nias and killed over 130,000 people on 26 December last year. A full restoration of military ties between the two countries faces another obstacle, however, in the form of the killing of two American teachers in Papua in an ambush in 2002, which also left an Indonesian dead.
Some eastern European countries, as well as Indonesian's southeast Asian neighbors, have proposed cooperation in developing defence industries in Indonesia, but lack of money has prevented the plans from being realised.
Asked about turning to Israel as another potential supplier, Pieter said Israeli telecommunications and information technology for defence purposes was among the best in world. "But we can't start cooperative ventures, as Indonesia and Israel don't have diplomatic relations," he underlined.
(Aki/Jakarta Post)
28-Sep-05 18:38