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| Australia hopeful of restoring military ties with Indonesia | Australia hopeful of restoring military ties with Indonesia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne has said she is confident Indonesia will soon restore military ties with her nation. | Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne has said she is confident Indonesia will soon restore military ties with her nation. |
| Indonesia suspended all military co-operation on Wednesday, saying "a lot of things needed to be improved". | Indonesia suspended all military co-operation on Wednesday, saying "a lot of things needed to be improved". |
| Australian officials said the complaint concerned "teaching materials" at an Australian army language facility. | Australian officials said the complaint concerned "teaching materials" at an Australian army language facility. |
| Senator Payne said the sensitive topic of West Papua was also raised by Indonesia. | |
| She said an official inquiry into the dispute would be completed soon. | |
| "I would hope at the conclusion of the inquiry, when we're able to indicate to Indonesia the steps that have been taken in Australia to address any of these concerns, we'll be able to discuss resuming the relationship across the board then," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC). | "I would hope at the conclusion of the inquiry, when we're able to indicate to Indonesia the steps that have been taken in Australia to address any of these concerns, we'll be able to discuss resuming the relationship across the board then," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC). |
| Indonesia's army spokesman Maj Gen Wuryanto had said the halt came into force in December. | |
| "All forms of co-operation with the Australian military, including joint training, have been temporarily withheld. I hope it can be resolved as soon as possible," Maj Gen Wuryanto said. | "All forms of co-operation with the Australian military, including joint training, have been temporarily withheld. I hope it can be resolved as soon as possible," Maj Gen Wuryanto said. |
| A spokesman for Indonesian President Joko Widodo said there had been no discussion of the suspension with the president and the issue had been exaggerated. | A spokesman for Indonesian President Joko Widodo said there had been no discussion of the suspension with the president and the issue had been exaggerated. |
| "This was not a decision of the president," spokesman Johan Budi told Reuters. | "This was not a decision of the president," spokesman Johan Budi told Reuters. |
| 'Recruit' claim rejected | 'Recruit' claim rejected |
| Senator Payne also denied a claim that Australia had tried to recruit Indonesian officers in the past. | Senator Payne also denied a claim that Australia had tried to recruit Indonesian officers in the past. |
| The allegation was made by Indonesia's military chief General Gatot Nurmantyo during a speech in November, according to the ABC. | The allegation was made by Indonesia's military chief General Gatot Nurmantyo during a speech in November, according to the ABC. |
| "Every time there is a training programme - like recently - the best five or 10 students would be sent to Australia. That happened before I was chief so I let that happen," he was quoted as saying. | "Every time there is a training programme - like recently - the best five or 10 students would be sent to Australia. That happened before I was chief so I let that happen," he was quoted as saying. |
| "Once I became chief commander of the national forces, it did not happen again. They will certainly be recruited. They will certainly be recruited." | "Once I became chief commander of the national forces, it did not happen again. They will certainly be recruited. They will certainly be recruited." |
| Senator Payne said this was "not the case and it is something which we would not countenance, of course". | Senator Payne said this was "not the case and it is something which we would not countenance, of course". |
| 'Offensive material' | 'Offensive material' |
| Indonesian special forces group Kopassus trains with the Special Air Service in Perth, according to local media. | Indonesian special forces group Kopassus trains with the Special Air Service in Perth, according to local media. |
| An Indonesian newspaper, Kompas, reported that a Kopassus instructor had found "laminated material" at the training facility which he considered to be offensive to the Indonesia's founding principle of Pancasila. | An Indonesian newspaper, Kompas, reported that a Kopassus instructor had found "laminated material" at the training facility which he considered to be offensive to the Indonesia's founding principle of Pancasila. |
| Australian outlets reported the material referenced West Papua, which is at the centre of a long-running independence movement. | |
| "The issue of West Papua was raised by the Indonesian defence minister," Senator Payne said on Thursday. But she said Australian "of course" recognised Indonesia's "sovereignty and territorial integrity". | |
| When asked about this, Maj Gen Wuryanto said there were many reasons for the suspension, without giving further details. | When asked about this, Maj Gen Wuryanto said there were many reasons for the suspension, without giving further details. |
| What is Pancasila? | What is Pancasila? |
| Senator Payne would not say whether anyone had been disciplined over the incident, citing the ongoing inquiry. | Senator Payne would not say whether anyone had been disciplined over the incident, citing the ongoing inquiry. |
| The countries' navies had been expected to take part in multinational training exercises next month. | The countries' navies had been expected to take part in multinational training exercises next month. |
| "Whether or not we will continue with the joint exercise, I will have to get back to you on that," First Admiral Jonias Mozes Sipasulta, from the Indonesian navy, told the ABC. | "Whether or not we will continue with the joint exercise, I will have to get back to you on that," First Admiral Jonias Mozes Sipasulta, from the Indonesian navy, told the ABC. |
| Bilateral relations have been tense at times in recent years, and have been suspended before, although there had been recent signs of improvement. | Bilateral relations have been tense at times in recent years, and have been suspended before, although there had been recent signs of improvement. |