U.S. maintains plan to sell F-16s to RI<\/p>\n
By Yenni Djahidin<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (JP): The United States administration is waiting
\nfor the right moment to notify Congress on its plan to sell nine
\nF-16 jet fighters to Indonesia, an official said.<\/p>\n
The official, who requested anonymity, said the administration
\nstill hoped to go ahead with the sale, which has been blocked by
\nCongress because of concerns over the human rights condition in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We remain committed to the sale of nine F-16s to Indonesia,
\nbut we don't plan to notify Congress formally at this time,\" the
\nofficial said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The proposal was withdrawn following riots in Jakarta last
\nJuly, which raised questions about the Indonesian government's
\ncommitment to uphold human rights.<\/p>\n
The administration had earlier hoped to re-submit the sales
\nproposal to Congress in January.<\/p>\n
Asked why the administration had still not notified Congress,
\nthe official said, \"Because we don't think we have the votes to
\nwin\".<\/p>\n
Indonesia, which has just received the last of the 24 British-
\nmade Hawk planes it ordered, said that since the F-16 sales was a
\nWashington initiative, it would leave the matter entirely to the
\nUnited States.<\/p>\n
The fighters were originally ordered by Pakistan in 1990, but
\nwere never delivered because Washington suspected Islamabad was
\ndeveloping nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
Indonesia currently has 10 F-16s in its squadron of fighter
\nplanes.<\/p>\n
Some analysts in the U.S. said the U.S. government was also
\nreluctant to do something which would seem to favor Indonesia
\nbecause of the issue of political contributions to the National
\nDemocratic Party by Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group.<\/p>\n
U.S. State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns rejected the
\nclaim Monday, saying the withdrawal was tied to the human rights
\nsituation in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"It's framed really on human rights concerns, not on any other
\nallegation about improper financial activities by the Lippo
\nGroup,\" Burns said.<\/p>\n
Earlier press reports said the Indonesian Air Force ordered an
\nF-16 flight simulator last month.<\/p>\n
The writer is Washington correspondent for Media Indonesia
\ndaily newspaper.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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