RI hopes U.S. visit will boost military ties<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says the U.S. government and
\nlegislators now have a better understanding of the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) after his delegation's week-long visit to the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
After reporting to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on
\nTuesday about last week's visit, Juwono said influential U.S.
\nfigures now better understood the TNI and its role in the
\ncountry's democracy.<\/p>\n
\"They, including Senators Patrick J. Leahy and Russel Feingold
\nwho are the most critical (of the military), now understand the
\nproblems faced by the TNI,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The delegation informed legislators about Indonesia's progress
\nin establishing democracy, the reform drive within the military
\nand the role of the military in economic and democratic
\ndevelopment, the minister said.<\/p>\n
Juwono also mentioned the problems faced by the TNI, including
\nits limited state budget allocation, which is deemed sufficient
\nto cover only half of the military's expenditure.<\/p>\n
He compared the country's defense budget of Rp 21 trillion
\n(US$2.28 billion) a year with that of Singapore, which has a
\nbudget equivalent to Rp 45 trillion a year and Thailand's, of Rp
\n50 trillion.<\/p>\n
\"I told them that I led the best underpaid defense force in
\nAsia. They were very surprised that with such a small defense
\nbudget, Indonesia remained unified despite the large number of
\ncitizens and our large territory,\" Juwono said.<\/p>\n
Juwono's visit to the U.S. was to encourage the government to
\nfully resume military ties with Indonesia. The U.S. recently
\ndecided to reinstate the International Military Education and
\nTraining (IMET) program with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian delegation met with U.S. Minister of Defense
\nDonald Rumsfeld, Deputy Minister of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, who
\nhas just been promoted to head the World Bank, Deputy State
\nSecretary Robert B. Zoelllick, Senator Richard Lugar, Senator
\nChristopher Bond, Senator Russell Feingold, U.N. Secretary Kofi
\nAnnan and former U.S. state secretary Henry Kissinger.<\/p>\n
The U.S. has yet to annul its decision banning the sale of
\nmilitary equipment and spare parts to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Juwono said that the government hoped to be able to buy new
\nmilitary equipment and spare parts from the U.S. after the
\nresumption of the IMET program, which is expected to start again
\nby September at the latest.<\/p>\n
\"This year is for (the resumption of) the IMET program. Other
\nprograms, such as the Foreign Military Equipment Sale and Foreign
\nMilitary Financial Program, depend on the resumption of the
\ntraining. If this occurs, and is in line with economic growth,
\nwe could be allowed to buy new defense equipment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kissinger had promised to convince the U.S. Senate to speedily
\napprove the resumption of IMET with Indonesia by September, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Juwono said he told U.S. legislators that the legal processes
\nconcerning the TNI's involvement in the 1999 human rights
\nviolations in East Timor were still ongoing although most of the
\nconvicts, particularly TNI personnel, had been acquitted by lower
\ncourts.<\/p>\n
The inability of the courts to convict Indonesian Military
\nofficers for war crimes is one reason why the U.S Congress has
\nvoted to continue the arms embargo.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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