U.S. considers renewed military ties with RI<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuters): The United States would like to resume
\nmilitary ties with Indonesia following the appointment of a new
\ngovernment but is mindful of human rights concerns, U.S.
\nSecretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We want to have a relationship with the Indonesian military,
\nbut we want to be satisfied that those human rights abuses are
\nbehind us,\" Powell said in a television interview in Australia
\nahead of annual talks between Australia and the United States.<\/p>\n
Most Western countries suspended military cooperation with the
\nworld's fourth most populous nation in the wake of the bloodshed
\nthat swept East Timor in 1999 when the region voted to break free
\nfrom Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Military ties between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries are
\nrestricted to humanitarian and disaster relief exercises, ruling
\nout arms sales to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Regional security experts say the new administration of
\nPresident George W. Bush has been mulling for some time the
\npossibility of easing some of the restrictions.<\/p>\n
Powell's comments in Australia, where he winds up his first
\nAsian tour, came on the heels of the latest shift in power in
\nIndonesia where President Megawati Sukarnoputri, with the backing
\nof the army, took over from ousted Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Powell said congressional restrictions on the relationship
\nwith Indonesia may need to be changed. He did not comment when
\nasked if this would mean seeking approval for arms sales.<\/p>\n
\"We will approach the new Indonesian government with an
\nattitude of helpfulness but also an attitude of caution and we
\nwill only provide those things consistent with our laws,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We will go back to our Congress to get those laws modified or
\nwaived if that seems to be a problem...but we are very sensitive
\nto human rights concerns.\"<\/p>\n
The U.S. Congress in 1998 passed a measure, sponsored by
\nVermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, prohibiting the United States
\nfrom training foreign security forces who violate civil rights.<\/p>\n
Arms sales<\/p>\n
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, following the
\ntalks in the Australian capital with Powell and U.S. Defense
\nSecretary Donald Rumsfeld, said he backed the resumption of
\nmilitary contacts between Jakarta and Washington.<\/p>\n
He told a news conference that Australia would always
\nemphasize in its contacts with the Indonesian military that it
\nadhere to international human rights standards.<\/p>\n
\"But bearing all that in mind, we see value in the United
\nStates and we see great value in Australia having quite
\nsubstantial contact with the Indonesian military,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Australia has said arms sales and military training should be
\nrestricted until there is clear evidence Indonesia's military has
\nreformed the brutal behavior it displayed in East Timor, and
\nproves it is subservient to the democratic civilian leadership.<\/p>\n
Australia led a multinational peace-enforcement mission in
\nEast Timor after the overwhelming vote for independence triggered
\na wave of killing and destruction by pro-Jakarta militias, who
\nwere backed by the Indonesian military.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-considers-renewed-military-ties-with-ri-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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