Jakarta (ANTARA) – Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and retired Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel discussed a US proposal to have overflight access to the country’s airspace.During the meeting, which took place in Jakarta on Friday, the military retirees were invited by Minister Sjamsoeddin to provide analysis and suggestions regarding the letter of intent (LoI) proposed by the US, according to Defense Ministry Spokesperson Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait.“The military retirees have provided their considerations and excellent analysis, which will likely be discussed further with relevant ministries and agencies as well as the House of Representatives,” Rico stated.Such suggestions, analysis, and even criticisms will be considered by the government in determining future steps—based on national defense interests, he added.”Going forward, this will be part of the evaluation, improvements, and input in developing national defense policy,” Rico affirmed.Earlier, 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.He confirmed that such discussions would consider sovereignty and national interests, which are a priority, given the government’s obligation to protect the country.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.