RI warships to secure Bali waters for UN climate change confab

Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) will deploy a few of its warships in the waters around Bali to strengthen maritime security for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference scheduled to take place on the resort island Dec 1-14, 2007, a spokesman said.

"The TNI AL will surely deploy some of its warships to secure the waters around Bali as thousands of foreign delegates will attend the conference," chief of the Indonesian Navy`s Eastern Fleet Command`s information service Lt Col Toni Syaiful said here Friday.

But he stopped short of revealing the number of warships to be involved in the security maintenance effort.

"The TNI AL has a number of fast patrol ships which can be easily used to secure the waters," he said.

In securing Bali island waters, the TNI AL would coordinate with the water and air police and the sea and coast guard unit, he said.

"We hope the event which will involve other countries will run smoothly because it is related with Indonesia`s image in the eyes of the world community," he said.

The conference which will seek to lay the groundwork for a new climate deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol will bring together about 15,000 participants from 168 countries. The Kyoto Protocol will expire in 2012.