The signing of agreements on longstanding bilateral issues at Leaders' Retreat on 25 January 2022 demonstrates the maturity of the relationship and fosters mutually beneficial cooperation.
By Barry Desker, Published The Straits Times, 26 Jan 2022
The Leaders' Retreat in Bintan on Tuesday (Jan 25) between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Joko Widodo set the stage for a new milestone in bilateral relations.
The atmospherics at the meeting highlighted the strong level of confidence and trust between the two leaders, underlined by the concrete agreements concluded between the two countries.
The interactions between the ministers reminded me of the easy informality which characterised exchanges among the participants at summit meetings during the time when I was Singapore's ambassador to Indonesia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
PM Lee and President Widodo witnessed the signing of an expanded framework of agreements, covering the Flight Information Region (FIR), defence cooperation between Singapore and Indonesia, and the extradition of fugitives.
Singapore's Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan also signed an "umbrella" exchange of letters to bring the three agreements into force at the same time.
Singapore and Indonesia have discussed these complex issues for several decades, including the years when I served in Indonesia. Although both parties were keen on a resolution of these issues, the challenge was to find a balanced framework which created a mutually beneficial outcome, as this would be key to the durability and long-term success of any agreement.
The set of agreements in this framework respects international law and the sovereign rights and interests of both countries. The exchange of letters sets out a clear agreement between Indonesia and Singapore on the pathway to take these agreements from the signing stage to ratification, and ultimately entry into force at the same time, on a mutually agreed date.
The signing of these agreements at the Leaders' Retreat demonstrates the maturity of the two countries' relationship and a commitment to resolve outstanding issues through discussions and negotiations conducted in a cooperative environment.
This is not the first time the Indonesian and Singapore governments have sought to resolve these longstanding issues. In 1995, an FIR agreement was signed and ratified by both sides but did not enter into force due to complications in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) approval process.
In 2007, the two parties signed an extradition treaty as well as the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which were to be implemented simultaneously. However, Indonesia did not ratify these agreements.
In October 2019, PM Lee and President Widodo endorsed a Framework for Discussions on the FIR issue and Singapore's military training in the South China Sea. In April last year, this was expanded to include the extradition treaty.
2022 FIR agreement
As someone who was involved in FIR negotiations from the 1970s onwards, my assessment is that the new agreement provides a balance of benefits for Singapore and Indonesia.
The boundary between the Singapore FIR and the Jakarta FIR will be realigned largely taking into account Indonesia's archipelagic territorial baseline, as deposited with the United Nations in 2009.
To meet Singapore's present and future civil aviation needs, Indonesia will delegate to Singapore the provision of air navigation services in Indonesian airspace adjacent to Singapore for 25 years.
This arrangement will support the growth of both countries' civil aviation sectors, including Changi and Indonesian airports. The agreement provides for Indonesia to continue to receive, in full, the revenue collected by Singapore on Indonesia's behalf for air navigation charges on flights over Indonesia where the provision of air navigation services has been delegated to Singapore.
There will also be enhanced cooperation between civil and military personnel in air traffic management. As part of these arrangements, Singapore has agreed to the stationing of Indonesian personnel in the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre.
Airspace management involves complex technical and operational matters which fall under the jurisdiction of ICAO. Both parties will jointly submit to ICAO the proposal for the realignment of the FIR boundaries and the delegation arrangement, after all three agreements have been ratified. Airspace users and other stakeholders will also need to be consulted.
As a major international air hub, Singapore's interest lies in ensuring reliable and effective air traffic management for the safety of aviation in the region that enables air traffic growth in a planned and sustained manner. With this agreement, Singapore continues to provide the air navigation services needed for Changi's air traffic for the duration of the 25-year pact.
Defence cooperation
The DCA, including its Implementing Arrangement, was signed in 2007 and remains unchanged. It provides a comprehensive strategic framework for a closer defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI).
The DCA will facilitate mutually beneficial cooperative activities, which will strengthen the professionalism and inter-operability of the SAF and TNI.
The DCA also provides clarity on the arrangements for the SAF's military training and exercises in training areas which became part of Indonesian waters and airspace subsequent to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The DCA builds on the longstanding joint exercises and joint training arrangements between the two militaries. It also provides for the possible future development of joint training facilities and training areas to strengthen cooperation and the capabilities of both armed forces.
The agreement, which is valid for the next 25 years, forms the basis for an enduring bilateral relationship between the TNI and SAF. The development of this relationship could serve as a benchmark for the strengthening of Asean defence cooperation, as Asean navigates a more challenging regional and international security environment in the years ahead.
Extradition treaty
The 2022 treaty is almost identical to the 2007 extradition treaty, except for an extension of the retrospective operation period from 15 years to 18 years prior to entry into force, at Indonesia's request to match the statute of limitations for the prosecution of offences in Indonesia. It will strengthen existing cooperation in combating crime.
Although the 2007 treaty did not enter into force, Singapore and Indonesia have been cooperating to prevent fugitives from using their respective territories as safe havens, whether it is the deportation of Singaporean terrorist fugitives to Singapore from Indonesia, or the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau assisting the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission, including serving summons requests to persons under investigation.
Implementation of this treaty will signal both countries' commitment to upholding the rule of law and will complement an Asean extradition treaty for which negotiations are ongoing.
Ratification
The next stage for both countries will be the ratification of these agreements. The endorsement of the DCA by Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto is to be welcomed. He has been touted as a candidate for the presidency in 2024 and is the chairman of Gerindra Party, the third-largest party in President Widodo's coalition which dominates Parliament.
The extradition treaty was signed by Indonesian Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, a senior member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the largest party in Parliament and the party of President Widodo. The party leaders will have to explain to their parliamentarians that ratification of these agreements is important and good for Indonesia.
Ratification and implementation of the Expanded Framework agreements will demonstrate the mutual commitment to resolving longstanding issues in an open and constructive manner. Implementation of these agreements will bring Indonesia and Singapore closer together and build mutual trust and confidence.
Mature relationship
This set of agreements signifies a mature bilateral relationship built on trust, cooperation and mutual benefit. The Widodo administration deserves credit for its pragmatic and decisive approach to finding win-win solutions.
While President Widodo's first term focused on domestic issues, he is leaving a foreign policy legacy in his second term.
Although most observers have highlighted Indonesia's role as chair of the Group of 20 this year, President Widodo has also played a leading role in the Asean response to the coup in Myanmar and in strengthening Asean as an institution. Through the signing of these agreements, he has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing bilateral ties with Indonesia's closest neighbours.
For Singapore and Indonesia, the conclusion of these agreements resolves longstanding issues which have posed problems in the bilateral relationship. The new framework institutionalises the relationship and fosters mutually beneficial cooperation.
Barry Desker is Distinguished Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and Nanyang Professor of Practice, Nanyang Technological University. He was Singapore's ambassador to Indonesia from 1986 to 1993.
Pacts on longstanding bilateral issues durable, a major step forward for Singapore-Indonesia ties: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2022
Singapore and Indonesia have concluded a set of agreements on three longstanding bilateral issues, including on aviation needs and safety, as they realign the boundary between their respective flight information regions (FIRs).
Under the FIR agreement, the boundary between the Singapore FIR and Jakarta FIR is realigned to be generally in accordance with Indonesia’s territorial boundaries.
As part of the pact, Indonesia will delegate the provision of air navigation services in portions of the realigned Jakarta FIR to Singapore for 25 years, which can be extended by mutual consent.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this ensures Changi Airport is able to operate efficiently, safely and provide air traffic control services in order to function as an important international airport, and to be able to grow in the long term as one.
“It is a carefully negotiated and balanced set of agreements and I think both sides’ important interests and concerns have been met,” he told Singapore reporters.
PM Lee and Indonesian President Joko Widodo witnessed the signing of the agreements during their fifth Leaders' Retreat in Bintan on Tuesday (Jan 25). They also presided over an exchange of letters undertaking to bring the agreements into force simultaneously.
The other two agreements are an extradition treaty, and an agreement on defence cooperation and military training.
At their meeting, the two leaders affirmed the excellent relations between Singapore and Indonesia. They also agreed that significant progress has been made on bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual benefit to both countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement following the conclusion of the meetings.
PM Lee said the three agreements that were signed deal with bilateral issues that go back many years, even decades, and “have been significant items on the agenda which we have discussed for quite a long time”.
He noted that in 2007, Singapore and Indonesia reached agreement on two of them - the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and the extradition treaty - but after that, the agreements were not able to be ratified.
The two sides have committed to them again, with some minor adjustments to the extradition treaty, and will seek to have them ratified, he told reporters.
The agreements address issues that are important to both countries and can cause lots of trouble if they are not properly resolved, he said.
“But if they are settled properly, and we have a clear understanding on them, then you can go forward and do a lot more cooperation across the board.”
At a joint press conference after the signings, PM Lee said the conclusion of the agreements demonstrates the strength and maturity of the two neighbours’ relationship.
Speaking before PM Lee, Mr Widodo said: "Going forward, we hope that the cooperation in law enforcement, aviation safety as well as defence and security of the two countries will continue to be strengthened based on the principle of mutual benefit."
PM Lee noted that the FIR agreement meets the civil aviation needs of both countries. The deal will have to be approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The second agreement inked on Tuesday provides for the extradition of fugitives for a comprehensive list of extraditable offences, in accordance with the laws of both countries and subject to safeguards and provisions.
The treaty adds to Singapore's extradition arrangements with countries such as the United Kingdom, and with Malaysia and Brunei to mutually recognise and execute arrest warrants against fugitives.
PM Lee said: "The extradition treaty will enhance cooperation in combating crime and send a clear positive signal to investors."
PM Lee and Mr Widodo also witnessed the signing of a joint statement on the 2007 DCA and Military Training Area Implementing Arrangement (IA-MTA) between Singapore and Indonesia.
"The DCA will strengthen cooperation between our armed forces and advance our defence relations," said PM Lee.
The agreement will promote closer interaction between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Indonesian National Defence Forces, and will be in force for 25 years.
Under it, the SAF will continue to conduct military training and exercises in Indonesia, with full respect for Indonesia’s sovereignty over its territory.
PM Lee also accepted Mr Widodo’s invitation to the G-20 summit in Bali later this year and expressed Singapore’s support for Indonesia’s G-20 presidency.
The two leaders also endorsed several memorandums of understanding signed ahead of the retreat, including on green and circular economy development that covers collaboration on recycling and expertise sharing on waste management, among other things.
The two sides also agreed to work towards making the new travel bubble for visitors to Bintan and Batam reciprocal, and to continue discussions to expand air and sea travel more generally to more parts of Indonesia.
PM Lee said he was grateful to President Widodo for hosting a successful and fruitful retreat, and credited his leadership and vision for the positive outcome to negotiations over the longstanding bilateral issues.
For the three agreements to take effect, both countries will need to complete their domestic ratification processes.
PM Lee said: "I encourage the ministers and officials to maintain close cooperation and coordination and implement the agreements expeditiously."
Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in Bintan 2022: What agreements were signed?
The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2022
At the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat on Tuesday (Jan 25), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Joko Widodo witnessed the signing and exchange of three agreements as well as an exchange of letters undertaking to bring them into force at the same time.
Here are details of these pacts and what they cover, as well as five other agreements inked by both countries to coincide with the annual retreat.
1. Flight Information Region Agreement
Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to realign the boundary between the Jakarta flight information region (FIR) and the Singapore FIR.
Indonesia will delegate to Singapore the provision of air navigation services in portions of the airspace within the realigned Jakarta FIR.
The pact will remain in force for 25 years and can be extended by mutual consent if both parties find it beneficial to do so.
The FIR Agreement takes into account International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules and regulations and will be submitted for approval to the ICAO in accordance with an agreed procedure.
2. Extradition Treaty
Singapore and Indonesia will grant extradition - the handover of individuals wanted for a crime in the other country - for a comprehensive list of extraditable offences covered by the treaty.
They will do so in accordance with the laws of both countries and subject to the requisite safeguards and provisions in the treaty.
They can also extradite individuals wanted for crimes dating back 18 years.
3. Joint statement between defence ministers on the 2007 Defence Cooperation Agreement and its implementing arrangement
The Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) will strengthen the strategic relationship between both defence establishments, and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI), by enhancing cooperation and promoting closer interaction between both militaries.
As part of the DCA, the SAF will continue to conduct military training and exercises in training areas in Indonesia, with full respect for Indonesia's sovereignty over its territory, including its archipelagic and territorial waters and its airspace, and in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The DCA and its implementing arrangement between both armed forces for the military training area in Indonesia will remain in force for 25 years.
4. MOU on Financial and Economic Cooperation
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) on financial and economic cooperation formalises the longstanding and multi-faceted cooperation between the finance ministries of both countries in areas such as Customs cooperation and fiscal policy. It also allows for future partnership in emerging areas such as financial services, climate finance and the digital economy.
5. MOU on Bilateral Partnership on Green and Circular Economy Development
The MOU between Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Indonesia's Ministry of National Development Planning seeks to promote new opportunities for green growth. Potential areas of collaboration include resource optimisation and recycling to address electronic, food and packaging waste, as well as potential private-sector projects and the sharing of expertise on waste management and green economy development.
6. MOU on Energy Cooperation
The MOU between Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry and Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will see both countries establish the Indonesia-Singapore Energy Workgroup. It will serve as a formal platform for officials to discuss and work together in areas that include facilitating cross-border electricity trading, financing of low-carbon energy infrastructure, and the development of new and emerging technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
7. Human Capital Partnership Arrangement
The agreement between Singapore's Ministry of Education and Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology formalises regular exchanges between educators and youth, including in the area of vocational education.
It also expands opportunities for Singaporean and Indonesian students to take part in exchanges and internships to deepen their understanding of each other's country and prepare them to better engage with the region.
Over the next few years, up to 500 Indonesian school leaders will attend training workshops by NIE International and be attached to Singapore schools.
Both ministries will also launch a youth mobility agreement to enable university students to embark on internships with companies in the two countries, for up to six months.
8. MOU between Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank Indonesia
The MOU reflects Indonesia and Singapore's joint interest to promote collaboration on projects in relation to payments innovation, and formalise cooperation across an expanded range of central bank and regulatory functions.
These include monetary policy, macro-prudential policy, financial stability, oversight of payment and settlement systems, regulatory and supervisory frameworks, and anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
Singapore to pump $12.4 billion in Indonesia's green economy, logistics port hub
By Linda Yulisman, Indonesia Correspondent, The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2022
Singapore will be investing US$9.2 billion (S$12.4 billion) to support green investment and build a logistics port hub in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday (Jan 25).
The money, he said, will fund renewable energy projects in Batam, Riau Islands province, and in Sumba island and West Manggarai in East Nusa Tenggara province, as well as the development of a logistics hub in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port, the country's largest and busiest seaport.
"Investments in the renewable energy sector continue to be the priority of the Indonesian government to advance green and sustainable development," he said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at their Leaders' Retreat in Bintan.
The two countries also hope to enhance their cooperation in the provision of low-carbon energy, through the facilitation of cross-border electricity trading and financing of low-carbon energy infrastructure.
The cooperation was formalised on Tuesday through the inking of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Bilateral Partnership on Green and Circular Economy Development, and an MOU on Energy Cooperation.
Mr Widodo noted that Singapore has been Indonesia's top foreign direct investor, spending US$7.3 billion from January to September 2021.
Mr Lee said: "Singapore has consistently been Indonesia's top foreign investor since 2014, and despite the pandemic, our investments have grown."
He pointed out that the Kendal Industrial Park has attracted US$1.6 billion in investment and will create "many thousands of jobs".
But the two countries have been exploring new areas of collaboration such as sustainability, the green economy, the digital economy and human capital development.
"And I'm happy that our officials are already meeting to discuss cooperation on sustainability," Mr Lee added.
Indonesia has been scaling up its green energy plans as it sees renewables as a future driver of economic growth.
Meanwhile Singapore, which relies heavily on gas for power, has made plans to import around 30 per cent of its electricity from low carbon sources, such as renewable energy plants, by 2035, with Indonesia being among its potential suppliers.
Last October, Singapore's companies inked two joint development agreements (JDA) to purchase solar energy from Indonesia.
The first was signed by Sembcorp Industries with utility company PT PLN Batam and renewable energy developer PT Trisurya Mitra Bersama (Suryagen).
Sembcorp will work on a large-scale integrated solar and energy storage project in Batam, Bintan and Karimun islands. It comprises around 1 gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar power generation capability and an energy storage system to manage the intermittency for clean energy deployment and export.
The second JDA was inked by Singapore-based power generation and electricity retail company PacificLight Power (PLP) and a consortium consisting independent power producer Medco Power Indonesia and electricity company Gallant Venture, part of Salim group, for a 100 megawatt pilot solar power import project from Indonesia to Singapore.
Parliament: Singapore-Indonesia agreements were carefully negotiated, benefit both sides: Teo Chee Hean
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 14 Feb 2022
The set of agreements that Singapore and Indonesia concluded last month over longstanding bilateral issues was carefully negotiated for a good balance of benefits for both sides, and to be durable and for the long haul, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament on Monday (Feb 14).
Addressing questions filed by eight MPs over the pacts inked during last month's Leaders' Retreat between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, SM Teo described the agreements as a win-win outcome that will provide a strong foundation to further strengthen bilateral relations.
The landmark pacts deal with airspace management, defence cooperation and an extradition treaty.
SM Teo and his Indonesian counterpart, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Pandjaitan, also signed an exchange of letters undertaking to bring the three agreements into force simultaneously.
"Singapore and Indonesia recognise that we will always be neighbours, and that we should continue to work together as partners," said Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.
"This agreement and the principles underlying it provide a good basis for future cooperation where each side brings something to the table and we work together to create a larger outcome, where the whole is bigger than the sum of all its parts."
Mr Teo noted that the three pacts deal with issues that have been on the bilateral agenda for decades, and he had been personally involved in handling them at various points when he was in the Singapore Armed Forces and then in Cabinet.
Both countries had signed agreements on the flight information region (FIR) and military training in 1995, but the first FIR pact could not be implemented due to external factors in the process of submitting it for approval by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and the military training pact was implemented but lapsed after a few years.
Both sides made another attempt and concluded agreements on defence cooperation and extradition in 2007, and agreed to implement them simultaneously, but they were not ratified by Indonesia.
In 2019, PM Lee and Mr Widodo tasked Mr Teo and Mr Luhut to put maximum effort into the matter, and worked out a framework for discussions as a basis for their governments to discuss the FIR and Singapore's military training in the South China Sea.
"The framework laid out a set of considerations and principles, and acknowledged that the core interests and rights of both countries must be recognised and respected," said Mr Teo.
At Indonesia's request, it was expanded to include the extradition treaty in April 2021.
FIR agreement
Under the FIR agreement, Singapore and Indonesia agreed to realign the boundary between the Singapore and Jakarta FIRs, largely taking into account Indonesia's archipelagic and territorial baselines, said Mr Teo.
Indonesia will delegate to Singapore the provision of air navigation services in portions of the airspace within the realigned Jakarta FIR for 25 years.
This ensures that present and future traffic to Changi Airport and nearby Indonesian airports continue to be managed safely and efficiently, added Mr Teo.
When all the pacts under the expanded framework have been ratified through the two countries' domestic processes, Singapore and Indonesia will jointly seek ICAO's approval for the FIR arrangements, said Mr Teo.
"Singapore's interest was the present and future needs of Changi Airport, which Indonesia accepted."
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh and Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked what the plans are after the 25-year period.
Mr Teo said the agreement can be extended by mutual consent if both countries find it beneficial. Otherwise, pre-existing arrangements will continue to be in effect until both countries reach a new agreement.
"Certainly, Singapore will continue to discharge its responsibilities to provide air navigation services in a safe and efficient way for civil traffic," he said.
Military training
The defence cooperation agreement (DCA) between the SAF and the Indonesian Armed Forces will clarify arrangements for the SAF's training in Indonesian waters and airspace when it takes effect, said Mr Teo.
The agreement and its implementation arrangement were both signed in 2007.
While the SAF has been conducting its training in the designated South China Sea Danger Area since the 1960s, when the area was international waters, parts of this area became Indonesian archipelagic and territorial waters and airspace under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
The SAF's training activities in such areas continue, as a right provided under Article 51 of Unclos, noted Mr Teo.
"When the DCA comes into force, it will provide clarity on the arrangements for the SAF's training in Indonesian archipelagic and territorial waters and airspace, with full respect for Indonesia's sovereignty over its territory, while preserving Singapore's rights," he said.
Extradition treaty
The extradition treaty (ET) between Singapore and Indonesia will grant extradition for a comprehensive list of extraditable offences, in accordance with the laws of both countries and safeguards provided in the treaty, said Mr Teo.
The treaty is substantially similar to the agreement the two countries signed in 2007, with the sole change being that it can now be retroactively applied for crimes committed 18 years ago, instead of 15 years as previously agreed.
While Singapore and Indonesia already work closely to tackle criminal matters, the extradition treaty will strengthen cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of both sides to combat crime, said Mr Teo.
"Our hope is that the ET will also be helpful to Indonesia's own efforts to prevent suspected criminals from fleeing overseas, and for them to be apprehended in Indonesia," he added.
"More fundamentally, the ET reflects both countries' commitment to work with international partners to combat crime and uphold the rule of law."
Unity needed for a strong hand at negotiation table
In sum, the set of agreements shows that Singapore and Indonesia recognise that the two countries will always be neighbours and should continue to work together as partners, said Mr Teo.
The pacts also provide a good basis for future cooperation "where each side brings something to the table and we work together to create a larger outcome, where the whole is bigger than the sum of all its parts", he added.
Singapore had a capable and cohesive negotiating team that identified its interests clearly and pushed for them energetically and diplomatically. Likewise, Indonesia also worked hard to push for its interests, said Mr Teo.
"But both sides also had a shared interest in closer bilateral cooperation and the benefits that would bring. As a result, we were able to reach a good set of agreements."
But the most important factor to ensure that Singapore always has a strong hand to bring to the table in any negotiations is to have a strong, clear-thinking, trustworthy and capable government which is supported by a united people, said Mr Teo.
"It is the trust and unity of our people behind us that allow us to conduct negotiations with consistency and confidence," he said.
Agreement is for all three pacts between Singapore and Indonesia to take effect together: Teo Chee Hean
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 14 Feb 2022
Singapore and Indonesia have undertaken to have all three bilateral agreements come into force simultaneously for good reason - negotiations on the pacts were conducted concurrently and a good balance of benefits was achieved across all three agreements, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Monday (Feb 14).
Responding in Parliament to a follow-up question by Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), Mr Teo said both countries agreed that the best way to resolve the three outstanding issues was to discuss them together, come to agreement on them at the same time, and then bring them into force concurrently.
Doing so resolves the three issues at the same time, and would bring many benefits to both countries while reducing any chance of misunderstandings, said Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.
The three agreements that were signed last month during the Leaders' Retreat between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo deal with airspace management, defence cooperation and an extradition treaty.
For the set of agreements to come into force, they have to be ratified by both countries. Mr Nair had asked what happens to all three agreements if in the ratification process, only one or two of the agreements get the green light.
In 2007, both countries concluded agreements on defence cooperation and extradition and agreed to implement them simultaneously, but they were not ratified by Indonesia.
On Monday, Mr Teo said any negotiation will see each side push for its maximum benefits, but for there to be a good outcome, each side has to also look at "the wider interests that come from working together and arriving at an agreement, rather than not having an agreement".
"In these negotiations, both sides took that view that it is actually in our shared interests, in our enlightened self interest, to come to an agreement on these three outstanding issues so that we can progress our bilateral relations on a broader front," he added.
In response to a question by Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang GRC) on how the flight information region (FIR) agreement directly benefits Changi Airport and Singapore, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said the agreement provides assurance for Singapore and Changi's role as an international aviation hub, and the ability for the airport to ensure landings and take-offs at Changi continue to be safe and efficient.
The FIR agreement will see parts of Singapore's FIR that cover Indonesia's airspace realigned to come under Indonesia's FIR. However, Indonesia will delegate the provision of air navigation services for a part of this realigned airspace to Singapore for 25 years, a period that may be extended.
The assurance that Changi Airport will continue to provide air navigation services in the realigned FIRs over this period means Singapore can now focus on a range of investments and initiatives to support the broader aviation sector here, said Mr Iswaran.
"It also means that in our discussion with aviation sector stakeholders, including potential investors and companies who would want to set up operations here, we are now able to give them greater clarity on the matter," he said.
The FIR agreement will also enable the two neighbours to focus on how to operationalise the arrangement, gain familiarity with each other on how to cooperate further, and build both confidence and trust, Mr Iswaran said in reply to a separate question from Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) on how the agreement can improve bilateral aviation ties.
The agreement includes arrangements for Indonesian personnel to be stationed at the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre to coordinate with Singapore air traffic controllers for certain flights involving Indonesian state-owned aircraft.
"As SM Teo made it very clear, we are neighbours, we will be neighbours well beyond 25 years," he said. "So it's important that at the foundation of our relationship we have that confidence and trust."
Singapore-Indonesia airspace pact resolves longstanding issue, benefits global community: Iswaran
By Justin Ong, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Feb 2022
A milestone airspace deal between Singapore and Indonesia decisively resolves a key longstanding bilateral issue, and will stand to benefit both sides as well as the international civil aviation community, said Transport Minister S. Iswaran on Monday (Feb 14).
He was responding to parliamentary questions filed by several MPs on the implications of a Flight Information Region (FIR) agreement signed on Jan 25, which will realign parts of Singapore's FIR - which overlap Indonesian airspace - to come under Jakarta's.
Indonesia will, in turn, delegate the provision of air navigation services for parts of its realigned FIR to Singapore for 25 years.
Mr Iswaran noted that the agreement will allow Singapore to continue providing these services within airspace sufficient for Changi Airport's present and future needs, thus supporting the continued growth and competitiveness of Singapore's air hub and aviation-related sectors.
It will also ensure safe and efficient management of traffic to Indonesian airports, including the Batam, Bintan and Tanjung Pinang airports which are in close proximity to Changi, he added.
FIRs are assigned by international law to determine how airspace around the world is divided up for control by different countries. They do not have to follow territorial boundaries.
Singapore's FIR is managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, a statutory board under the Transport Ministry.
Since 1946, Singapore has been managing flights in areas including the Riau Islands like Batam, which fall under Indonesian airspace.
The agreement with Jakarta - after several decades of the FIR being on the bilateral agenda - paves the way for closer cooperation in air traffic management and other aviation issues, said Mr Iswaran.
He added that it clarifies how air navigation services will be provided in a busy and complex airspace; and ensures that air traffic flows in the region, including to and from Changi and Indonesian airports, will continue to be safe and efficient.
"Every major airport in the world has a contiguous block of airspace for its arrival and departure procedures, which is essential for ensuring safety," Mr Iswaran said.
"It is necessary to deconflict aircraft when they are taking off or landing, which are critical phases of flight and when safety risks are the highest. Changi Airport, for example, had nearly 400,000 flights each year pre-Covid-19."
With the International Air Transport Association forecasting air traffic in the Asia-Pacific to have the highest growth globally over the next 20 years, the FIR pact will open up more opportunities for airlines and other stakeholders to tap on growing air traffic in the region to expand their operations, attract more investments and create more jobs, said Mr Iswaran.
He had earlier illustrated the different models of air navigation service provision around the world.
First, where the state provides these services for an FIR within its territorial airspace, such as the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand for Thai airspace within the Bangkok FIR.
Second, where the state provides air navigation services within its FIR, but the FIR extends beyond its territorial airspace. Examples include Indonesia's provision of services over Christmas Island, which is part of Australia's airspace - but within Jakarta's FIR; as well as the United States providing services over Canadian airspace but within the US FIR.
In the third model, the state provides air navigation services in both the FIR and territorial airspace of a neighbouring state, which is typically done through delegation arrangements similar to what Singapore and Indonesia have agreed on.
For instance, to manage traffic for its Geneva Airport, Switzerland provides air traffic services for French airspace that falls under the Marseille FIR.
"Regardless of the model adopted, the paramount objective is to ensure the safety and efficiency of international civil aviation in accordance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) rules," said Mr Iswaran.
The FIR agreement is due to be implemented simultaneously with a defence cooperation agreement and extradition treaty.
Laying out next steps, Mr Iswaran said domestic processes to ratify all three agreements would have to be completed, before technical teams work through detailed coordination procedures and both countries consult stakeholders and submit a proposal to ICAO for approval.
Once approved by the global body, Indonesia and Singapore will agree on a date to implement the FIR agreement and for all three pacts to come into force together.
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) and Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) also asked what would happen at the end of the agreement's 25-year period.
Mr Iswaran called the FIR agreement "durable" and said the 25 years would allow for Singapore to gain experience from the new arrangements.
"The aviation sector will continue to develop with advancements in technology and air navigation services procedures," he said. "As air traffic and airports grow, our operational needs and aviation standards will also evolve.
"All these elements will shape the circumstances under which we will make decisions in the future," Mr Iswaran added. "Under the FIR Agreement, the delegation arrangement shall be extended by mutual consent, should both sides find it beneficial to do so."
Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to consult each other and ICAO before the end of the 25 years, he said, with a view to ensuring the safety and efficiency of international civil aviation beyond 25 years.
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