Personnel at Manado mily airbase told to prepare for WOC 2009

Commander of the Air Force`s Operations Area II covering Eastern Indonesia Rear Marshal Yusan Sayuti has instructed the rank and file of Sam Ratulangi military airbase in Manado, North Sulawesi, to get ready for the World Ocean Conference (WOC 2009) to be held in the city on May 11-15 next year.

"From now on Sam Ratulangi airport should be made ready, especially where air transportation and security are concerned," Sayuti said at a ceremony marking the installation of Lt Col Bambang Wijanarko as commander of Sam Ratulangi military airbase to replace Lt Col Arif Mustofa in Manado on Wednesday.

He said the WOC-2009 would be attended by heads of state/government from hundreds of countries around the world, and therefore the air space over Manado in North Sulawesi should be made free of any security threat.

"Any threat, disturbance or challenge should be anticipated and prevented. Therefore, Sam Ratulangi airport should be made ready for the event," Sayuti said.

He said Manado`s airport was a very strategic facility because it was located in a region bordering the Philippines.

Earlier, when he received the secretary of the WOC 2009 organizing committee, Prof Indroyono Susilo, here recently, Sayuti said he would fully support the conference.

"We are going all-out to support this international event," Sayuti said, adding that his command would do everything within its power to ensure security at Sam Ratulangi airport to help make the World Ocean Conference in Manado a success.

Meanwhile, Indriyono Susilo, who is the secretary general of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, said delegates from at least 150 countries in the world would attend the conference.

He said through the WOC 2009, Indonesia would make every possible effort to turn maritime areas around North Sulawesi into world-class marine resorts.

"We hope the WOC 2009 will be a good momentum for Indonesia to turn North Sulawesi into a world-class tourist destination besides Bali," Indriyono said. (Makassar, ANTARA News)