Prabowo Subianto Visits Serbia to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation
Belgrade, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian Defense Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, together with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, has reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in defense and other sectors.
Prabowo arrived in Belgrade on Monday local time, following his visit to France last week. In a statement from his office, confirmed on Tuesday, Prabowo emphasized the mutual interest in enhancing relations between Indonesia and Serbia.
“We are committed to improving relations and cooperation between Indonesia and Serbia in the defense, economy, and other sectors of mutual interest,” Prabowo stated.
The Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Edwin Adrian Sumantha, noted that the discussions between the two leaders also focused on strategies to expand the scope of cooperation and strengthen friendly relations.
President Vučić expressed Serbia’s eagerness to bolster political dialogue and cooperation in various sectors, including defense and the economy. He conveyed his gratitude to Indonesia for its unwavering support of Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, highlighting Indonesia’s consistent stance in ASEAN forums regarding Serbia’s aspirations to strengthen political relations and comprehensive cooperation with ASEAN members.
Prabowo’s visit to the Serbian Presidential Palace was marked by a warm welcome from Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gaši. He was accompanied by the Indonesian Ambassador to Serbia, M. Chandra Widya Yudha; Serbia’s Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim to Indonesia in Jakarta, Marija Boskovic; and Indonesian Defense Attaché in Belgrade, Colonel Prayogha Erawan. On the Serbian side, President Vučić was joined by Defense Minister Gaši and Foreign Minister Marko Djuric.
Following his engagements in Belgrade, Prabowo continued his diplomatic journey to Ankara, Turkey. He arrived at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara on Monday evening and was received by Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey Ahmad Rizal Purnama, and Indonesian Defense Attaché in Ankara Colonel Mohammad Amir Ali Akbar.
In Ankara, Prabowo is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish defense minister, and the Turkish foreign minister, further underscoring Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships.
