TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio, has sent KRI Frans Kaisiepo 368 warship to Lebanon on Friday, February 28, 2014, to carry out United Nation's peace mission in war-torn regions. KRI Frans Kaisiepo has special tasks to guard and patrol the sea borders between Lebanon and Israel.
According to Marsetio, the UN needs at least six to eight units of warships for this mission. Although Indonesia only sends one ship, Marsetio is proud that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) sould contribute in maintaining international peace. "The other ships are from Europe and other [countries]," he said.
He said that with the mobilization of KRI Frans Kaisiepo, Indonesia has sent six warship for UN peace mission in total. Previously, Indonesia sent KRI Diponegoro-365 to Lebanon in 2009, KRU Sultan Iskandar Muda-367 in 2011, and KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366 in 2012. KRI Frans Kaisiepo had also been sent to Lebanon for UN peace mission in 2010.
Marsetio is 100 percent confident that the soldiers in KRI Frans Kaisiepo will accomplish their tasks well as they had gone through series of training and tight selections. He added that UN representatives from New York has visited Indonesia to check the personnel's preparation and the navy combat equipment. "Not only personnel, but also cannons, guided missiles, and helicopters," he said.
INDRA WIJAYA