Jakarta – The Indonesian and Australian governments have agreed to put their bilateral defense cooperation on a firmer basis and to continue it in the future.

After a meeting with his Australian counterpart, John Faulkner, here on Monday, Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the two countries' commitment to improving defense cooperation would be formalized in a memorandum of understanding which was now still under discussion.

"Indonesia-Australia cooperation in the defense and military fields was confirmed earlier by the ratification of the Lombok Treaty signed by the two countries on November 13, 2006," Yusgiantoro said.

Based on the treaty, the two countries had agreed to step up cooperation in the defense and military fields under a stronger legal umbrella, such as the memorandum of understanding currently being discussed.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry's International Cooperation Strategy director general, Brig Gen Syaiful Anwar said there were two important points in the memorandum of understanding, namely an overall defense cooperation as part of an action plan in the Lombok Treaty and human trafficking.

"The Lombok Treaty permits the two countries to form a legal umbrella for defense cooperation called 'Corporate Activity in the Field of Defense'," he said.

A legal umbrell for cooperation on human trafficking or illegal immigrants, would be discussed by the two countries' foreign affairs ministries.

"Starting next week, the two parties will discuss human trafficking or illegal immigrants, and the Defense Ministry will be part of a task force which is to be formed by the deputy foreign affairs minister," Syaiful said.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro in the meeting with his Australian counterpart extended his gratitude for the Australian government's support for West Sumatra post-earthquake management by giving financial assistance of A$12 million and an emergency hospital.