S`pore committed to enhancing mily ties with RI: envoy

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Singaporean Ambassador to Indonesia Ashok Kumar Mispuri said his country is committed to enhancing its military cooperation with Indonesia, including in fighting terrorism.

"We hope the existing good military ties between the two countries could be further maintained and enhanced in support of bilateral ties between the two countries," Mispuri said at a meeting with Indonesian Military Chief Gen Djoko Santoso here Thursday.

The two neighboring countries have so far conducted routine joint military exercises.

The ambassador offered Indonesian military personnel a chance to attend education and training courses in the island state.

He further said Singapore would continue to cooperate with its neighbors in fighting terrorism.

"Singapore through cooperation with its neighboring countries is trying hard to be able to recapture Mas Selamat Kastari soon," he said referring to Singapore`s most wanted terror fugitive who escaped from detention on February 27 this year.

Singapore has alleged that the Indonesian-born Singaporean planned to crash seven bomb-filled trucks at various locations around the city-state, and he had been on the run ever since.

In January 2006, he was arrested by Indonesian anti-terror squads in Java and deported to Singapore.(*) end