Indonesia and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will sign a joint declaration on the country's commitment to improve flight safety and security in a summit scheduled for July 2-3.

 

"The ICAO's support to increase flight safety is very strategic especially to coordinate cooperation with relevant parties in implementing the global aviation safety plan and the global aviation safety roadmap," Transportation Ministry's spokesman Bambang Ervan was quoted Friday by the national Antara news agency as saying.

 

His remarks came a day after the European Commission said all Indonesian airlines and several from Russia, Ukraine and Angola will be banned from flying to the European Union due to safety concerns.

 

The ban, to be effective on July 6, was recommended by EU experts in response to a series of air accidents in Indonesia early this year.

 

However, no airline from Indonesia is operating scheduled flights to any European destination. Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has earlier ceased regular services to Amsterdam and Rome.

 

Bambang said ICAO President Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez and ICAO Regional Director for Asia Pacific Office Lalit B. Shah were expected to attend the meeting.

 

In the course of the Bali meeting, a strategic summit on aviation safety would also be held on July 2-3 and a funding agency meeting on July 4.

 

The two meetings would be attended by representatives of international stakeholders to coordinate assistance and adopt an international cooperation scheme for Indonesia, he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agerncy June 30, 2007)