The 14th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) being held by the Indonesian National Army here from September 1 to 8, 2004, should show the strong harmony, solidarity and cooperation among the armies of the ASEAN member countries to the international community, the Indonesian National Army's spokesman has said.

"Unlike in the past, the 14th AARM should now be exposed publicly to show strong harmony, solidarity and cooperation among the armies of the ASEAN member countries," Chief of the Indonesian National Army's Information Service, Brig.Gen. HMP Panjaitan, said here Thursday.

According to Panjaitan, the 14th AARM is also held to improve professionalism of the ASEAN armies and to make comparation on the shooting capabilities of the ASEAN armies. With the improved professionalism, he added, the ASEAN armies are expected to be ready and able to face possible terrorist acts which are still considered as a threat to the region. The improved professionalism, strong harmony, solidarity and cooperation among the ASEAN armies are expected to guarantee the security stability in the region although the Asean member countries have no defence pact, he said.

Panjaitan likewise ex-pressed hope that other ASEAN member countries would publicly expose the AARM when they are appointed next hosts of the ASEAN shooting championship.

On the target the Indonesian contingent to the 14th AARM may have set, the one-star general said his side hoped the Indonesian team would emerge as the overall champion.
On the occasion, he also said that the Indonesian team uses firearms mostly made by national firearms producing company PT Pindad in the 14th AARM.

He pointed out that after an embargo on military equipment imposed by NATO member countries including the United States on Indonesia, this archipelagic country uses firearms produced by PT Pindad and imported ones from Poland, China and Russia among other countries.

The Indonesian National Army sends 62 marksmen consisting of 55 male and seven female shooters to the 14th AARM which is participated in by no less than 500 athletes from the armies of the ten ASEAN member countries.

ASEAN groups Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philip-pines, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,