medcom.id, Jakarta: Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed to boost cooperation on maritime security amid the emergence of piracy in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea.
The commitment was made by foreign ministers and military chiefs from the three countries during trilateral meeting in Yogyakarta, on Thursday, May 5.
"We agreed to strengthen maritime security cooperation including the establishment of coordinated patrol operation," said Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi after the meeting as quoted by press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The three countries will also improve quick response for maritime emergencies through the creation of dedicated hotline to facilitate faster exchange of information in time of crisis.
The Sulu-Sulawesi Sea is considered as strategic maritime route in the region. More than 18 million people pass through the sea annually.
Series of hijackings were conducted by Abu Sayyaf in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea for the past few weeks. Four Indonesians and four Malaysians currently are being held hostage by the militant group.
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