JP\/1\/SBY<\/p>\n
Susilo meets American widow to help revive U.S. military ties<\/p>\n
Reiner Simanjuntak
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Washington<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met here on Wednesday with
\nPatsy Spiers, the wife of Rick Spiers, one of two American
\ncitizens killed in an armed attack in Papua in 2002, in what is
\nseen as a crucial meeting to help revive full military ties
\nbetween Indonesia and the U.S.<\/p>\n
\"I'm happy,\" Spiers told journalists, when asked to comment on
\nher talks with Susilo, who arrived here late on Tuesday for a
\nfour-day visit. She did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
The meeting came after 53 human rights, religious and peace
\ngroups urged U.S. President George W. Bush to withhold U.S.
\nmilitary cooperation with Indonesia until the Southeast Asian
\ncountry brings to justice military officers accused of abusing
\nand killing civilians.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Dino Pati Djalal said the shooting
\nincident in Timika, Papua, on Aug. 12, 2002, which also killed
\none Indonesian teacher and injured nine others, had been a
\nstumbling block to relations between the two countries as well as
\nto restoration of full military ties. The U.S. slapped a
\nmilitary embargo on Indonesia following the killing of East Timor
\npro-independence protesters by the military in 1991.<\/p>\n
\"With this meeting, the President reaffirms the government's
\ncommitment to resolving the Timika incident, and (this shooting
\nincident) should not hamper relations between Indonesia and the
\nU.S.,\" Dino said after the meeting, held at the Willard Hotel,
\nwhere Susilo and his entourage are staying.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting was very constructive ... and also emotional.\"<\/p>\n
Dino explained that during the 30-minute meeting, Susilo
\nbriefed Spiers about the ongoing efforts to capture Papuan rebel
\nleader Anthonius Wamang and his followers, who according to a
\njoint investigation by the Indonesian authorities and the U.S.
\nFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were responsible for the
\nshooting incident. The group is believed to be hiding in the vast
\njungles of Papua.<\/p>\n
\"There has been a commitment to boost the efforts, and that
\none day they will all be captured and brought to court,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Convincing Spiers about the government's strong commitment to
\nresolving the incident and bringing the perpetrators to justice
\nis crucial as it might help change the opinion of some U.S.
\nCongressmen, who have opposed plans to end the U.S. military
\nembargo on Indonesia until Jakarta shows significant progress in
\nresolving certain issues, including the Timika incident and past
\nhuman rights violations involving the Indonesian Military.<\/p>\n
In February, the U.S. resumed a training program for
\nIndonesian military officers after the U.S. Secretary of State
\ndeclared that the Indonesian authorities had cooperated with the
\nFBI in investigating the Timika incident.<\/p>\n
Susilo is making his first visit to the U.S. since his
\nelection as president in October 2004. The trip is expected to
\nfurther boost relations between the two countries in the
\neconomic, political, security and military fields.<\/p>\n
Some analysts say that the U.S. administration has been happy
\nthus far with Susilo's government, and is expected to support his
\ndomestic policies including those designed to boost economic
\ngrowth to help provide jobs for some 40 million unemployed
\npeople, and to curb endemic corruption.<\/p>\n
During the visit, Susilo is scheduled to hold talks with
\nPresident Bush at the White House and also meet with other top
\nadministration officials, including Vice President Richard
\nCheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and Finance Secretary John
\nSnow.<\/p>\n
The Susilo-Bush summit is slated to take place at around 3
\np.m. local time on Wednesday or 3 a.m. on Thursday Jakarta time.<\/p>\n
President Susilo will also meet with a number of top officials
\nof U.S. companies, including Caterpillar Inc., Altria Corp., the
\nparent company of Philip Morris which recently acquired PT HM
\nSampoerna, Indonesia's second largest cigarette maker, Merrill
\nLynch, and Paiton Energy.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the President will fly to Seattle to meet Microsoft
\nfounder Bill Gates.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp1sby-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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