Talks intensify on RI-U.S. military ties<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Talks that may precede the restoration of full military ties
\nbetween Indonesia and the United States intensified as the
\nvisiting special envoy from U.S. President George W. Bush,
\nstressed the importance of Indonesia improving its security
\ncapability.<\/p>\n
The U.S. trade representative Robert Zoellick held separate
\nmeetings with President Megawati Soekarnoputri and foreign
\nminister Hassan Wirayuda on Sunday to discuss, among other
\nthings, Indonesia's pivotal role in the global war against
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
Zoellick said the main issue for the U.S. was the success of
\nPresident Megawati in dealing with security and terrorism.<\/p>\n
\"We talked about the issue of terrorism and security
\nissues ... I emphasized how important were the efforts of
\nIndonesia's government in dealing with these questions back at
\nhome and in the region,\" Zoellick told journalists.<\/p>\n
The two countries will hold a two-day security forum in
\nJakarta on April 26 as part of the plan to restore ties, which
\nwere suspended in 1999 following the East Timor mayhem.<\/p>\n
President George W. Bush's administration has repeatedly
\nexpressed its intention to have the embargo lifted. But it very
\nmuch depends on the U.S. Congress, which is dominated by the
\nopposition party.<\/p>\n
Zoellick is the second U.S. envoy to have visited the country
\nover the past month to investigate the possibility of restarting
\nfull military arms sale to Indonesia. On March 30, two U.S.
\nsenators met with Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz over the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
A foreign ministry official who accompanied Hassan during his
\nmeeting with Zoellick on Sunday said that the U.S. administration
\nwas fully aware that Congress had to be convinced that Indonesia
\nwas ready to have full military ties restored.<\/p>\n
The official also underlined that the coming security forum
\nwas designed to find more alternatives for military cooperation
\nin a bid to strengthen Indonesia's ability to fight terrorism and
\nmaintain security.<\/p>\n
Hassan said the U.S. administration had expressed its
\nappreciation of the ongoing ad hoc tribunal trying the
\nperpetrators of the East Timor violence, and that this legal
\nprocess could be taken into consideration by the U.S.<\/p>\n
\"The upcoming security forum will be the first step for the
\ntwo countries as they (the U.S) have already stated openly that
\nthey want to reopen full military ties with Indonesia,\" Hassan
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/talks-intensify-on-ri-us-military-ties-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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