VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Two F16 Jet Fighter grant from the US arrived at Air Force Base of Iswahjudi, Magetan, East Java on 18th January. The jets fighter were the last jetfighters deployed of 24 total units of the US jets grant. In response to this, a Military observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Mochamad Nurhasim in an interview by phone on RRI World Service Voice of Indonesia on Saturday (20/01) said the US jets fighter grant is from the US is part of its foreign politics that prioritizes the consideration of the US interest in Asia, including Indonesia.

One of the considerations of reopening military cooperation between Indonesia and the US is, in addition to the fact that Indonesia has changed, from political side, I think there is a significant change. There is democratic consolidation process.There is criteria of human rights and so on. There is also an opportunity of the world political constellation. I think the US interest in Asia and South East Asia has been one of factors to continue jet fighter grant program,” Mochamad Nurhasim said.

Moreover,MochamadNurhasim explained the continuity of Jet Fighters Grant from the US to Indonesia has been based on the long term political consideration in the region. He further said Washington has also counted the domestic political constellation  and the role of Indonesia in the regional security of Asia and South East Asia, including political fluctuation in the South China Sea and the growth of China power as one new economic power and new power in the field of military after the collapse of the Soviet Union.//// (VOI-Ahmad Faisal/ahm)