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Australia has 380 military personnel in the half-island state and has a close security relationship, but some in the capital, Dili, complain that Canberra can be excessively bureaucratic in its dealings on defence.

On a recent visit to Dili, Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, who also serves as Defence Minister, signed a memorandum of understanding covering security co-operation, including training and military logistical support.

The deal was expected to be quickly ratified by the East Timor parliament, diplomatic and government sources in Dili told The Australian. It is understood the agreement will also cover the training of East Timorese military and police officers.

At the signing on August 8, Mr Gusmao and Mr Yusgiantoro were pictured hoisting aloft an Indonesian-made light machine gun of a type to be acquired by the East Timor Defence Force.

The weapon is a local variant of the Belgian 5.56mm FN Minimi.

The agreement will also provide for the establishment of a Timor Leste-Indonesia Defence Co-operation Joint Committee to co-ordinate broader areas of co-operation.

The agreement also covers co-operation on aviation, although no details of this have emerged. However, there have been suggestions that East Timor wants to acquire military helicopters.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith said last night that the government welcomed any positive development in security co-operation between East Timor and Indonesia.

"Australia has an unwavering commitment to the long-term security and prosperity of East Timor," Mr Smith said. Australia had close defence co-operation with East Timor in areas including engineering, maritime security, logistics, financial management, communication and English-language training.

East Timor has gone to diverse sources for its military equipment and has patrol boats from Portugal, South Korea and China.

The executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, retired major general Peter Abigail, said that the new East Timorese defence link with Indonesia was a very positive move.

It made a lot of sense for Australia, Indonesia and East Timor to have a strong collective relationship and good relations with one another, Major General Abigail said.

He said that Australia would remain very deeply involved in training the East Timorese forces and advising the Dili government.

Clinton Fernandes, a lecturer at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said East Timor clearly wanted to improve relations with a powerful neighbour.

"East Timor is diversifying its contacts in the region and clearly wants good relations with them all," Dr Fernandes said.

(The Australian)

HMNZS Canterbury amphibious ship (all photos : RNZN)

WELLINGTON - New Zealand Defence Minister Wayne Mapp and his Australian counterpart, Stephen Smith, held their annual meeting Feb. 10 here and announced that Australia will have access to New Zealand's amphibious ship HMNZS Canterbury through a joint forces initiative.

"Today's meeting provided both countries with the opportunity to discuss strategic defense and security priorities in the region … and to give our respective defense organizations the strategic guidance they need for our essential and growing bilateral cooperation in 2011," Smith said.

The ministers asked secretaries in their respective departments to produce a joint report by July 31, detailing preliminary proposals to improve bilateral engagement structures and strengthen strategic bilateral exchanges.

The report is expected to detail proposals to ensure cost-efficient cooperation, notably complementary military capabilities, and the efficient implementation of ANZAC policies.

The ministers noted that the Pacific-focused Ready Response Force (RRF), initiated in September 2009, will be finalized in March, with New Zealand Defence Force personnel to be placed at the Deployable Joint Forces Headquarters in Brisbane.

"We have agreed that, to maintain a robust capability to respond to regional contingencies, the Australian and New Zealand defense forces will jointly develop and exercise plans under the RRF for a common response to contingencies, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Mapp said.

The ministers also announced the sharing of key capabilities, including HMNZS Canterbury, as part of the RRF banner, with a view to early opportunities to exercise planning functions and amphibious interoperability.

"HMNZS Canterbury's amphibious-lift capability will be particularly important in our region over the next few years [as] the Royal Australian Navy faces challenges in amphibious capability," Smith said.

"The integration of HMNZS Canterbury in this way is a practical example of ANZAC cooperation which can benefit our region, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," he said.

The ministers also highlighted the successful reinvigoration of the Australia-New Zealand Airlift Agreement, an initiative developed at the previous defense ministers meeting in Sydney in 2009.

As well, Mapp announced that New Zealand will provide a maritime surveillance adviser to the Cook Islands in support of the patrol boat given to that country by Australia.

In addition, both countries will expand their cooperation in English language training for regional militaries, starting with Vietnam, to increase the number of personnel eligible for training courses in New Zealand and Australia.

(DefenseNews)