Indonesia assures Australia that Russian aircraft will not be based in Papua

ABC NEWS (Australia)

For his analysis on the reports that Moscow has requested to base an aircraft in Indonesia. However, Indonesian officials have assured Australia that Russian aircraft will not be based in Papua.

Transcript

00:00It's not surprising to see Jakarta move quickly to nip this story in the bud.

00:07Indonesia has long prized its foreign policy independence

00:11and typically avoids doing anything that risks antagonising the larger powers.

00:17We still don't know exactly what was or wasn't brought up by Russia.

00:23Diplomatic sources say even if this wasn't raised directly with the defence minister in Indonesia,

00:28it could well have been brought up by more junior players.

00:33Either way, allowing Russia to base surveillance aircraft and potentially long-range bombers in Indonesia

00:40where it would be easier for them to monitor and potentially even hit US and Australian military assets

00:47seems to have been a red line which Jakarta does not want to cross.

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