Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin asserted on Tuesday that his country had made no commitments to the United States regarding US military access to Indonesian airspace, despite the recent signing of a letter of intent between Jakarta and Washington.
According to the minister, this document was signed last month in Washington with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He clarified, however, that this letter does not constitute a formal agreement and contains no binding commitments from Indonesia.
During a hearing before the Indonesian Parliament, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin explained that the text mainly addressed respect for the territorial integrity of each country, the need to put in place a specific mechanism in case of overflight authorization, as well as the obligation to respect national laws.
"We have made no commitments to the United States regarding airspace. We respect the Constitution and our national interests," the minister said, seeking to calm the controversy that has gripped the country for several weeks.
The issue of US overflights is particularly sensitive in Indonesia due to rising tensions in the South China Sea. Reuters revealed last month that the Indonesian Foreign Ministry feared that granting blanket permission to US military aircraft could draw Jakarta into future regional conflicts.
According to Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, the American request dates back to last year, during a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Pete Hegseth reportedly cited urgent reasons to justify this request, without further details being made public.
This case illustrates the delicate balance that Indonesia is trying to maintain between its relations with the United States and its desire to preserve an independent position in the face of growing strategic rivalries in the Indo-Pacific region.
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