In the meantime, Akbar positioned Indonesia someplace between strategic companions like Singapore and formal treaty allies such because the Philippines and Thailand “within the spectrum of defence relations with the US”.
“Indonesia is just not sure by a mutual defence pact, however the ‘major’ designation displays its significance as a key strategic companion for the US within the area. Legally, the MDCP is clearly a non-binding, cooperative framework moderately than a proper defence alliance,” he stated.
Rezasyah nonetheless argued that the pact carries broader strategic which means due to Indonesia’s geography and weight.
“In sensible phrases, though the doc lacks detailed readability, it carries the same spirit to US safety preparations with international locations such because the Philippines, Thailand, and even Vietnam.
“Given Indonesia’s geoeconomic and geostrategic significance, the settlement additionally leaves room for future contingencies, together with potential developments associated to the South China Sea,” he instructed CNA.
Whereas Indonesia is just not a claimant of the South China Sea, China’s “nine-dash line” claiming a lot of the waterway overlaps with Indonesia’s unique financial zone (EEZ) close to the oil- and gas-rich Natuna Islands. ASEAN states which have laid a declare to the vital waterway embody Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.
OVERFLIGHT AND SOVEREIGNTY
Political sensitivity across the MDCP deepened amid stories that the US was individually looking for overflight entry for army plane by way of Indonesian airspace.
Reuters reported that Indonesia’s overseas ministry warned the defence ministry in an early-April letter {that a} US proposal to grant its army “blanket” permission to fly over Indonesian territory risked entangling Jakarta in potential South China Sea conflicts.
The letter, marked pressing and confidential, urged the defence ministry to delay any closing settlement with Washington.
Indonesia’s defence ministry later clarified to CNA that overflight clearance is just not a part of the MDCP.
“Primarily based on the formally revealed MDCP doc obtainable on the Pentagon’s web site, overflight clearance is just not a part of the partnership,” defence ministry spokesperson Brigadier Common Rico Ricardo Sirait stated.
Even so, the difficulty has remained delicate as a result of it touches immediately on sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Akbar stated that the overflight proposal, so far as he knew, had not been accepted.
“To my information, the proposal for overflight clearance for US army plane has not but been accepted. Nevertheless, there are potential advantages and dangers for Indonesia if such entry is granted,” he instructed CNA.
Akbar stated that overflight may convey sensible benefits by enhancing logistics for joint workouts resembling Tremendous Garuda Defend, strengthening operational capability and interoperability and supporting faster humanitarian responses.
