US to stop providing maritime equipment aid to RI

The Jakarta Post - 

The United States has decided to stop providing aid in the form of maritime equipment to Indonesia due to economic considerations, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sharif Cicip Sutardjo said Friday.

“[The US government] has said it will temporarily stop providing equipment aid in November because of an economic deficit problem, so ship aid will be stopped,” Sharif said at a press conference after meeting the US ambassador to Indonesia, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

In September 2007, Indonesia and the US signed an agreement to cooperate through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) foundation, in the fields of research and technology and applications in maritime affairs and fisheries.

Since then, the US has provided Indonesia with sophisticated equipment including ships that can photograph and observe underwater life.

The US has not officially announced the decision as yet, but is likely to do so before the end of the year, Sharif said. The US’ technical maritime assistance to Indonesia is worth up to US$35 million, he said.

Posted via http://maritime-news.posterous.com Maritime-News posterous