US Military Bases Will Not Be Placed in Indonesia - North Sulawesi Governor
© USMC/Cpl. Samuel CorumSgt. Robert B. Brown from Fayetteville, N.C. with Regimental Combat Team 6, Combat Camera Unit watches over the civilian Fire Fighters at the burn pit as smoke and flames rise into the night sky behind him on May 25th, 2007.
© USMC/Cpl. Samuel Corum
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Indonesia is a neutral country and it will not place military bases of the United States on its territory, as the Philippines did, Olly Dondokambey, the governor of North Sulawesi province, has told Sputnik.
"Indonesia's political system is based on two principles: activism and freedom," Dondokambey said.
"This means that we will never take sides in a confrontation between major powers. We have our own principles. Therefore, a scenario in which we could host American military bases is impossible."
Despite North Sulawesi's proximity to the Philippines and its disputed waters, the province does not find itself at the epicenter of regional conflict, he added.
In February, the Philippines granted access to four additional military bases to the US, with which Washington reportedly plans to strengthen its line of defense around China.
Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by the parties in 2014, the US is not allowed to have permanent military bases in the Philippines; however, the document provides for US troops' extended stay on the Philippine military bases.
In early May, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said the Philippine government was opposed to any military provocations in the region, and underscored he would not allow the nation to be turned into a staging post for any country's military campaigns.
He also said he had assured Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang that the four new US bases in the country will not be used to attack anyone.