Malaysia-Indonesia Forge Cooperation In Training Of Peackeepers

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya JAKARTA, March 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Indonesia will be cooperating in training and exchange of expertise in peacekeeping operations, said Malaysian Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said the Malaysian Peackeeping Training Centre in Port Dickson and Indonesia's Security and Peacekeeping Centre in Bogor, West Java would spearhead the collaborative effort. "We discussed how our respective foreign and defence ministries can play a role in maintaining regional peace. "As such it is important as to how our militaries can play a role in non-war situations and forge a new era where they can be utilised in times of peace," he said after holding a bilateral meeting with Indonesia's Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro on the sidelines of the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue (JIDD) at the Jakarta Convention Centre here Wednesday. Ahmad Zahid said such cooperation was also important for universal peace. Meanwhile, Malaysian Armed Forces chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, who was also present, said the cooperation between the two training centres would take off as soon as agreement on it was reached by the two governments. -- BERNAMA