Shear English - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed gratitude to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam who has provided the Indonesian navy with two fast patrol vessels. At a meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Presidential Palace here on Thursday, President Yudhoyono said the Indonesian Navy would use the two light warships to help ensure maritime security.
"The President expressed gratitude (to Sultan Bolkiah) for the Waspada class patrol vessels. He believes Brunei has granted them with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation," presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
The two light warships renamed KRI Salawaku 642 and KRI Badau 643 have arrived in Indonesia. The warships are currently stationed at the navy port in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The British-made warships equipped with guided missiles will be joining the Western Indonesian Fleet Command to conduct patrols in the western Indonesian territory. Although they are more than 30 years old they are expected to be in service until in the next 10 to 15 years.
At the 30-minute meeting, the President was also thankful to the people and government of Brunei Darussalam that had treated well around 70 thousand Indonesian migrant workers employed in the tiny oil rich country, Faiza said. Faiza said President Yudhoyono and Sultan Bolkiah during the meeting also discussed cooperation in food and energy fields.
"The President noted that some ASEAN member states are producers of food, rice and other farm commodities. So non-food producing ASEAN member states are expected to contribute to the food industry in the region by making investment."
Faiza quoted Yudhoyono as telling Sultan Bolkiah that the Indonesian government was in the process of finalizing a masterplan for acceleration and expansion of national economic development. Hopefully, Brunei would also invest in the project, he said.
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