RI 'must maximize' bargaining power with Washington<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia must maximize its bargaining power
\nwith the Clinton administration to help water down an amendment
\npassed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives condemning
\nalleged human rights abuses in East Timor, an observer said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
International relations researcher Kusnanto Anggoro of the
\nCentre for Strategic and International Studies said there was
\nlittle that Jakarta could do to dissuade the bill except seek
\nsupport through Clinton's administration.<\/p>\n
Kusnanto said the administration would be more realistic and
\ntake into account economic and security concerns in its ties with
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The House unanimously passed an amendment yesterday condemning
\nhuman rights abuses in the former Portuguese colony of East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
The amendment was introduced by Rhode Island democrat Patrick
\nKennedy.<\/p>\n
Reuters quoted Kennedy as saying the unanimous vote would
\n"serve as a launching point for further action against
\nIndonesia".<\/p>\n
The Foreign Policy Reform Act is part of a larger overhaul of
\nthe U.S. State Department and various pronouncements on
\ninternational issues which include payment of arrears to the
\nUnited Nations and the situation in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Under the Act's chapter on International Military Education
\nand Training there are sections calling for the cessation of
\nmilitary assistance and arms transfer to Indonesia unless Jakarta
\nimproves various human rights conditions.<\/p>\n
Kusnanto said realistically there was nothing Indonesia could
\ndo to stop these moves through Congress.<\/p>\n
"All we can do is continue or lobby and make promises that
\nwill improve the situation," he said. "But you see we've already
\nbeen doing that.<\/p>\n
"Basically the Indonesian foreign ministry will be forced into
\nan even more defensive position," he said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas announced Friday that
\nIndonesia was canceling the purchase of F-16 jet fighters and
\nparticipation in the International Military Education and
\nTraining program because of congressional linkages to human
\nrights issues.<\/p>\n
Alatas said the decision was taken to remove possible
\nimpediments to the Clinton administration's efforts to improve
\nbilateral ties.<\/p>\n
Kennedy said at the House floor yesterday that Jakarta took
\nthe decision because it was "feeling defensive". "They wanted to
\nget the planes out of the way before this Congress expressed its
\nstrong opinion on their human rights abuses."<\/p>\n
The Indonesian foreign ministry did not respond yesterday to
\nthe unanimous passing of the amendment.<\/p>\n
Alatas said here earlier yesterday that Washington did not
\nsupport a proposed bill in Massachusetts State which would
\nprohibit companies there dealing with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"I don't think the bill in Massachusetts will succeed. Even if
\nit does it would be a much weaker version, so it won't be a
\nproblem," he said in response to questions from journalists.<\/p>\n
"Those opposing it are U.S. businesspeople and the federal
\ngovernment itself," he added.<\/p>\n
Speaking after attending the swearing in of retired Gen.
\nHartono as the minister of information, Alatas said that, after
\naccompanying President Soeharto to Turkey, he would fly directly
\nto New York to attend the ninth tripartite talks with United
\nNations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Portuguese foreign
\nminister Jaime Gama.<\/p>\n
The talks on East Timor will be the first under Annan who took
\nover the top UN post in January.<\/p>\n
Alatas had little optimism that the July 19 to July 20 meeting
\nwould achieve anything.<\/p>\n
"In my opinion it will be procedural," he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless Alatas remained hopeful that under Annan's aegis
\nthe talks could progress. "He seems to want concrete results and
\nhas assigned a special assistant to handle this matter," Alatas
\nsaid. (mds)<\/p>",
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