Indonesia Explores Defense Coop With Myanmar

Naypyitaw, Sept 12 (Antara) - Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met Myanmar`s Military Commander Senior General Min Aung Hlaing here on Thursday to explore areas of defense cooperation between the two countries. "This will become an umbrella for other forms of cooperation in the defense industry," Sjafrie stated after the meeting with Min Aung Hlaing. He is on a three-day working visit to Myanmar on September 11-13, 2014, to promote Indonesian defense industry products in the country. The Indonesian deputy defense minister remarked that during the meeting, they reached an agreement to boost bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the field of defense. "I explained during the meeting that military power was not just to be used for defense but also for building democracy through a soft power policy," he noted. Sjafrie remarked that Myanmar perceives Indonesia as an ASEAN member state, which has a strong defense force to maintain security by upholding democracy. In the meantime, Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar Ito Sumardi pointed out that the country has profound interest in increasing defense cooperation with Indonesia. Sumardi expressed his commitment to enhance defense cooperation with Myanmar.