UPDATE - Widodo underlines relations with Australia still strong

UPDATES TO ADD INDONESIA DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTS

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has underlined Indonesia and Australia's strong bilateral relations one day after his military announced that all cooperation between the two countries defense forces had been suspended.

Talking to reporters Thursday, Widodo said he had since received reports from Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo with regard to the suspension.

“I think that Indonesia and Australia have agreed to respect each other and not interfere in each other’s home affairs. I have instructed the defense minister and the TNI commander to resolve the problems,” Kompas.com reported Jokowi as saying.

On Wednesday, an Indonesian special guard instructor visiting a training facility in Perth, Australia, is reported to have seen laminated “material” considered insulting toward Indonesia’s national principle of “Pancasila” -- under which the country’s diverse ethnicities and religions are unified.

Ryacudu underlined later Thursday that the material was insulting to the country's principles, contained discussions about Papua independence, and allegations of army involvement in the massacre of communist party members at 1965.

They were all taken from newspapers and online media by an officer in Australia, he added.

Ryacudu said he had since received a letter from the Australian military apologizing and explaining that the incident did not reflect the policy of the armed forces.

"They [Australia} have apologized and suspended the head of the school," detik.com quoted Ryacudu as saying at a press conference.

He added that military cooperation would be resumed after the problem is resolved.

"This is only delayed and can be resumed again. When the problem is finished, we will continue," he said.