Indonesia, East Timor intensify cooperation for maritime, aviation SAR

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and East Timor or Timor-Leste strengthened cooperation for aviation and maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations.

The cooperation agreement was inked by Head of the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Kusworo with Minister of Transportation and Communication of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday.

In his statement, Kusworo stated that the bilateral cooperation aimed at providing immediate assistance to people experiencing emergencies in the border area between Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The cooperation includes the exchange of information, communication, and coordination of emergency situations between the officials of Indonesia and Timor-Leste. It also encompasses increasing the capacity of human resources through joint training or exercises, using equipment and infrastructure, and sharing technical expertise in search and rescue.

“This cooperation is very important because, for the practice of SAR operations, especially in border areas, such as between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, both countries communicate and coordinate intensively with each other,” Kusworo explained.

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Minister of Communication and Transportation of Timor-Leste, Miguel Marques, expressed hope that relations between both nations would grow closer through this agreementThe cooperation agreement is also expected to create a broader safety aspect, especially ensuring optimal SAR services to the citizens of Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

"The people of Timor-Leste and Indonesia on the border have good relations. They know each other and interact with each other. They use almost the same mode of transportation and that has the risk of an emergency," he remarked.