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| Retno Marsudi. |
Indonesia, Malaysia concerned over Aukus, start work on travel corridor
Reuters
18/10/2021
JAKARTA (REUTERS) - Malaysia and Indonesia share strong reservations over Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, even though nuclear weapons were not part of the plan, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Monday (Oct 18).
Referring to Aukus, a trilateral security pact agreed last month between Australia, the United States and Britain, Mr Saifuddin Abdullah said the two South-east Asian nations were similarly concerned about its ramifications.
“We agree on the latest issue in the region regarding a country near our territory that is purchasing new nuclear-powered submarines,” he told a joint news conference after a meeting with counterpart Retno Marsudi.
“Even though that country doesn’t have the capacity for nuclear weapons, we are worried and concerned.”
Indonesia last month said it was concerned Aukus could lead to a regional arms race.
Malaysia previously said it would seek views on the issue with China and the Association of South-east Asian nations (Asean).
The deal comes amid increasing tensions in the East and South China Seas, conduits for trillions of dollars of shipments amounting to about a third of global trade.
The Philippines, a US defence treaty ally, has backed Aukus, saying it offers a necessary counterbalance to an increasingly assertive China.
The Indonesian and Malaysian ministers also expressed disappointment with the Myanmar junta’s lack of progress in implementing an agreed peace plan with Asean.
Asean on Friday decided to exclude junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who led a Feb 1 coup, from an upcoming regional meeting, in an unprecedented snub by the bloc.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also said South-east Asian countries would continue to offer Myanmar humanitarian help, despite the lack of cooperation by its ruling military in committing to the peace roadmap.
Both foreign ministers also said they were in a discussion about starting a travel corridor between Indonesia and Malaysia, and had agreed to finalise maritime sea borders in southern Melaka and the Sulawesi Sea.
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