January 18, 2023
SINGAPORE – Indonesia’s ratification of three agreements with Singapore reflects the strength and maturity of the relationship between the two countries, said a spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
The MFA spokesman said on Tuesday that Singapore also looks forward to working further with Indonesia to move forward on these agreements.
Responding to media queries on Indonesia’s ratification of the Treaty for the Extradition of Fugitives and the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), the MFA spokesman said that Singapore welcomes the ratification of these agreements, as well as another one on the Flight Information Region (FIR).
“Indonesia’s ratification of all three agreements under the expanded framework between Singapore and Indonesia is a clear sign of the strength and maturity of our bilateral relationship, and our commitment to work together as close neighbours,” said the spokesman.
He added that Singapore has also completed its domestic legal processes for the three agreements.
The extradition agreement, which will further support the two nations in carrying out the extradition of fugitives, was ratified on Dec 15, 2022.
On Dec 6, the DCA, which allows for the Singapore Armed Forces to train and take part in exercises in Indonesia with full respect for Indonesia’s sovereignty over its territory, was ratified.
Both neighbours had concluded and signed the two agreements in April 2007, witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and agreed to implement them simultaneously. However, they were not ratified by Indonesia then.
On Jan 25, 2022, Mr Lee and President Joko Widodo reaffirmed their commitment to the two agreements – as well as a third one, the Flight Information Region (FIR) agreement – at the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in Bintan.
Under the agreement, the boundary between the Singapore and Jakarta FIRs will be realigned to be generally in accordance with Indonesia’s territorial boundaries.
However, Indonesia will delegate the provision of air navigation services for a part of this realigned airspace to Singapore for 25 years, a period that may be extended.
The MFA spokesman on Tuesday said that Singapore looks forward to exchanging with Indonesia its formal notifications of the completion of its respective domestic processes for all three agreements.
Singapore and Indonesia will then jointly seek approval from the International Civil Aviation Organisation for the arrangements under the FIR agreement, to enable the simultaneous entry into force of all three agreements on a mutually agreed date, said the spokesman.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Lee said that he was glad that Singapore and Indonesia have both completed the domestic processes to ratify the agreements.
He thanked Mr Widodo for his partnership and leadership in concluding these agreements, and added that he looks forward to their next meeting. “The ratification of these agreements is a major step in resolving these three longstanding bilateral matters and lays a strong foundation for future cooperation,” said Mr Lee.