SINGAPORE: A series of agreements between Singapore and Indonesia – relating to air space management, defense and extradition – came into force on Thursday (21 March), marking an “important milestone” in bilateral relations, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
He marked the occasion with a telephone call to President Joko Widodo, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a press release, Friday.
In his Facebook post, Lee also noted that the agreement reflects the two countries’ “shared commitment as close neighbors to work toward mutually beneficial outcomes for both countries.”
“The agreement is an important milestone in relations between Singapore and Indonesia,” he wrote.
The three agreements, known as the Expanded Framework, were signed at a leaders’ meeting in Bintan in January 2022. Indonesia ratified the agreement on the Flight Information Region (FIR) in September of that year, and in December, another agreement on defense and extradition.
AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT
Based on the FIR agreement, Indonesia will delegate to Singapore the provision of air navigation services in some of the air spaces in the Jakarta FIR that have been adjusted.
This agreement will remain in effect for 25 years and can be extended by mutual agreement.
A country’s FIR is a civil aviation demarcation managed by its air traffic service and does not necessarily follow territorial boundaries.
The issue of airspace management has been around for a long time, with Indonesia repeatedly stating its desire to take over the FIR over the Riau archipelago, which has been managed by Singapore since 1946 as mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Singapore’s response was that the FIR was not a matter of sovereignty, but rather the safety and efficiency of commercial air traffic.
FUGITIVE EXTRACTION
Under the extradition treaty, fugitives from both countries who have committed 31 types of crimes, including corruption, drugs and terrorism, can be extradited.
The agreement also applies to offenses committed up to 18 years ago and means that people will not be able to escape justice by changing their nationality.
The types of crimes covered by this agreement must be criminal offenses in both countries and carry a minimum penalty of two years in prison. Both countries agreed to keep the list open to changes and additions.
DEFENSE PACT
Under the Defense Cooperation Agreement, Singapore and Indonesia will continue to strengthen their defense partnership and deepen cooperation in areas of mutual benefit.
The agreement, which will be in effect for 25 years, allows Singapore’s military to train in Indonesia, while “respecting Indonesia’s full sovereignty over
its territory, including its islands, waters and airspace, and in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” said the MFA previously.
The previous extradition and defense treaty was signed as a package in 2007.
“SIGN OF HISTORY”
The MFA said on Friday (22 March) that the entry into force of the agreement was “a historic milestone in Singapore-Indonesia relations that underlines the strength and maturity of our relationship”.
“The agreement signals our shared commitment to work together as neighbors to secure outcomes in the best interests of both countries,” the MFA added.
During a phone call with President Joko Widodo, PM Lee also reaffirmed Singapore’s “commitment to working together with Indonesia to overcome shared challenges”.
He also expressed his confidence that bilateral relations will continue to produce new breakthroughs.
