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Indonesia, NZ

hold air manoeuvres

JAKARTA: Units of the Indonesian and New Zealand air forces on Friday began combined training exercises in Medan, North Sumatra, despite an official protest this week by Jakarta over the burning of an Indonesian flag in New Zealand.

The planned exercises sparked protests in New Zealand last week against closer defence ties between the two countries.

They started two days after the New Zealand ambassador was called in to receive an Indonesian government protest over the burning of an Indonesian flag on Indonesia's independence day in Wellington on August 17.

A statement issued in Jakarta on Friday said the exercise, codenamed "Elang Sebrang", would be held from August 25 until September 5.

It said the exercises would involve eight Skyhawk aircraft from both air forces. A C-130 Hercules transport and a P3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) would support the deployment.

The statement said the Skyhawk's will practice air-to-air refueling, close air support and basic maritime attack procedures in North Sumatra.

At the conclusion of the exercise the RNZAF units will be deployed in Malaysia to participate in the annual Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) exercise involving forces from the FPDA partners, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain.-Reuter