Jakarta (ANTARA) – Foreign Minister Sugiono stated that Indonesia is considering a US proposal on overflight access to its airspace, emphasizing that such a request requires further discussions.“Regarding overflight access, this is indeed an intention conveyed by the United States. It must go through a discussion process and mechanism, including the specific mechanisms and so on by Indonesia,” Sugiono said after a press conference at the Presidential Staff Office in Jakarta on Wednesday.He confirmed that such discussions would consider sovereignty and national interests, which are a priority, given the government’s obligation to protect the country.However, he noted that Indonesia—with its independent and active foreign policy—might have similar agreements with other countries.Sugiono asked the public not to view the US proposal as a threat to Indonesian sovereignty.Earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said that the proposal is still under internal consideration by the government while the regulatory mechanism continues to be examined carefully.Earlier reports suggested that Washington is seeking overflight access for US military aircraft across Indonesia.The proposal was leaked just before Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was scheduled to visit the Pentagon on April 13 to sign the Indonesia-US Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) agreement.The draft includes provisions allowing overflight for emergency operations, crisis response, and jointly agreed training activities.This issue has sparked attention to Indonesia’s foreign policy, as many see that granting the US proposal on overflight access would weaken Indonesia’s control over its own airspace and undermine the country’s sovereignty.It may also lead to questions regarding Indonesia’s neutrality on the US-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific.