Indonesia is great regional power, Russian air force chief says

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is one of the great powers in the Asian region, said Colonel General Alexander Zelin, commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, who has just ended his working visit to Indonesia.

In an interview with RIA Novosti he made a reference to President Vladimir Putin`s historic visit to Indonesia in September. "That visit gave a fresh impetus to cooperation between Russia and Indonesia in many areas, including military-technical cooperation," he said.

Also a year ago, on December 29 - November 1, the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Russia, he added.

"The Russian and Indonesian governments share a common political perspective on the realities we currently live in, he emphasized. We, the military, welcome cooperation between Russia and Indonesia in military technologies, but the two nations should not limit themselves to that".

Zelin believes the two countries have many opportunities for expanding their purely military cooperation (in addition to military technologies), including organizing joint exercises, exchanging delegations, and cooperating in personnel training.

The Russian Air Force commander is convinced that "Indonesia is one of the great powers in the region, in terms of population, the position it holds and its economic growth rate".

Talking about some of the goals of his visit, he said he had come to meet with top Indonesian military commanders and establish personal relationships with them. "When people meet and discuss things together, all issues are settled quickly," the general said.

He also mentioned that the expansion of military cooperation between the two nations will certainly strengthen mutual trust and understanding and promote more active cooperation in other spheres.

In addition, during his visit he introduced some new Russian weapons and military hardware to his Indonesian colleagues, and discussed options for the export of these products. "I am a military professional and am competent in this type of situation, so I could best explain it," he said.

Also, Russia already has commitments to Indonesia to supply weapons and military hardware under earlier export contracts.

Finally, the Air Force commander had discussed with his Indonesian colleagues bilateral cooperation in other spheres, including the fight against terrorism.

"At meetings with the Indonesian military chiefs, we recalled the times when there was a very close military cooperation between Indonesia and the former Soviet Union," Zelin stressed.

"The warm atmosphere of these meetings shows the mutual interest in military cooperation and restoration of the former friendly relations," he stated.

In conclusion, Zelin talked about the use of old MiG fighters as memorials in some Indonesian cities. "A memorial is a sign of respect, not just to this aircraft, but to the nation that created it," he said.