Indonesia’s president refuses to host American spy planes in his country

SANAA, Oct. 20 (YPA) – Indonesia this year rejected a proposal by the United States to allow naval B-8 Poseidon spy planes to land and refuel there, according to four senior Indonesian officials.
According to Reuters, the officials said that US officials made multiple “high-level” contacts in July and August with the Indonesian defense and foreign ministers, before Indonesian President Joko Widodo refused the request.

Representatives of the Indonesian president, the defense minister, the US State Department press office, and the US embassy in Jakarta did not respond to requests for comment. Representatives of the US Department of Defense and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi declined to comment.

The officials said the proposal surprised the Indonesian government because the country has long been neutral in foreign policy. Indonesia has never allowed foreign armies to operate there.