M`SIA SENDS ONLY ONE PERSON TO GARUDA SHIELD-09

Cipatat, Indonesia, June 16 (ANTARA) - Malaysia is only represented by one man in the Garuda Shield-09 joint exercise at the Cipatat Infantry Training Center in West Bandung, West Java province.

"Malaysia only sent one person for the exercise, and not for the field but for the command post activities," Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Commander General Djoko Santoso said at a press conference at the center here on Tuesday.

"Every country has its own business including Malaysia and probably because of that Malaysia only sent one person," he said.

Countries who were absent in the exercise were Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.

Soldiers from 20 countries started the training on Tuesday, which would last until June 29.

The training officially opened by General Djoko Santoso was attended by the US, Australia, Cambodia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Mongolia, New Zealand, Tonga, Vietnam and Britain.

Training activities will be put in two stages namely command post and field training exercises.

The Garuda Shield-09 is the country's participation in promoting world peace.

"This is an achievement that makes Indonesia proud and we will certainly increase it in the future," he said.
This was the third exercise held in cooperation between the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and USPACOM in Asia.

The first exercise was done in Mongolia in 2007 under code-name "Khan Quest 07" while the second in Bangladesh code-named "Santi Dhoot2."
The exercise was aimed at increasing solidarity among participating countries in the framework of multinational unity effort and effectivenes in peace operations implementation.***