Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled to visit Australia before the end of this month, amid attempts to smooth over a rift following the suspension of some military cooperation.
Joko will meet Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Feb. 26, Indonesia’s top security minister Wiranto said on Wednesday.
The Indonesian military had in January suspended education cooperation with the Australian Defence Force over teaching materials at an Australian military training centre.
It said that the education cooperation discredited Indonesia and the state ideology, Pancasila.
Wiranto played down the rift, saying it stemmed from an incident involving individuals.
“We must not let the incident shake the strong relationship between the two countries,” he said.
Australia’s Chief of Army, Angus Campbell, visited Jakarta on Wednesday and met Indonesian armed forces Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo.
Relations between Indonesia and Australia are often testy.
In 2013, Indonesia suspended military and intelligence cooperation with Australia after it was revealed that Australian spies had monitored former president Susilo Yudhoyono’s phone and members of his inner circle, including his wife. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/AMY
