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| Down Under |
| Indonesian leader offers Australia olive branch: joint disaster exercises |
| 2012-07-06 |
| Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is proposing joint disaster exercises between militaries in the Asia-Pacific region in an apparent signal that Jakarta will lower its rhetoric on a potential United States drone base and troop deployments to Australia. Indonesian officials initially said that the deployment would create tension and mistrust. During his two-day visit to Darwin, Yudhoyono made no mention of the deployment, while suggesting that nations in the region, including China, might join the US in planning disaster relief operations. Australia has promoted the US Marines' presence and Darwin's proximity to Indonesia as useful for emergency relief operations in case of future disasters or emergencies. Beijing, however, has been wary of Washington's intentions in the Asia-Pacific region, with hawkish voices in the Chinese military saying that the US has been intent on encircling China and frustrating its rise. Indonesia previously participated in a multi-nation military disaster relief exercise, hosting an event in Manado, North Sulawesi, involving 20 countries in 2011. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #1 Join in, you Never know when a disaster will happen.(Heh, Heh, snicker) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2012-07-06 13:45 |