U.S. ready to help RI in Aceh reconstruction<\/p>\n
Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The United States will not confine its humanitarian mission in
\nIndonesia to providing assistance to tsunami victims, but is also
\nwilling to help Indonesia in the reconstruction of affected
\nareas, a top U.S. defense official said in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"One can't imagine what happened in Aceh. I think it's beyond
\nthe capacity of any government in the world to deal with this
\nkind of catastrophe on its own. It's a big challenge to rebuild
\nthe whole area. The U.S. wants to take part in this humanitarian
\ntask, especially in the reconstruction of Aceh,\" U.S. Deputy
\nSecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said at a press conference at
\nthe J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"We are approaching Indonesian officials to know what kind of
\nhelp they need from us,\" Wolfowitz, a former U.S. ambassador to
\nIndonesia, said.<\/p>\n
The U.S., the world's sole superpower, has pledged US$350
\nmillion in government assistance for tsunami victims, and the
\nU.S. public and businesses have raised another $350 million.<\/p>\n
The U.S. was the first country to deploy its military to help
\ntsunami survivors.<\/p>\n
In addition to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, 25
\nnaval warships, 57 helicopters and 14,000 military personnel have
\nbeen deployed by the U.S. to the relief mission in Aceh and North
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
\"So far, U.S. helicopters have flown more than 1,000 missions
\nto Aceh. Around 2.3 million tons of goods (mostly food, water and
\nmedicines) have been transported,\" Wolfowitz, who visited Aceh on
\nSaturday, said.<\/p>\n
Wolfowitz, who met Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono and several ministers during his two-day visit to
\nIndonesia, commended the U.S. servicemen and servicewomen for
\ntheir exemplary role in helping hundreds of thousands of tsunami
\nvictims.<\/p>\n
\"The USS Abraham Lincoln was in Hong Kong on its way to
\nCalifornia when the tsunami tragedy occurred (on Dec. 26).
\nAdmiral Fargo (the U.S. Pacific Naval Command chief) ordered the
\ncarrier to move to Aceh. The U.S. personnel, who were on their
\nway to home, are very happy to help the tsunami victims,\"
\nWolfowitz said.<\/p>\n
On the question of a possible improvement in military
\nrelations with Indonesia, Wolfowitz said the U.S. would
\nreconsider its policies, including military ties, toward
\nIndonesia following successful democratic elections in Indonesia
\nand the appointment of a civilian defense minister.<\/p>\n
\"We need to think about how we can strengthen this newly
\nelected democratic government, strengthen the democratic
\ninstitutions and the civilian defense minister,\" said Wolfowitz,
\nwho is on a three-nation tour of tsunami-affected countries.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging the negative impact of his country's
\nmilitary embargo against Indonesia during this catastrophe,
\nWolfowitz said the U.S. was finding ways to help the Indonesian
\nMilitary respond to the tragedy.<\/p>\n
\"We're doing everything we can to strengthen the ability of
\nthe Indonesian Military to respond to this disaster,\" Wolfowitz
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The U.S. partially lifted the military embargo by supplying
\nspare parts for C-130 transport planes.<\/p>\n
He said U.S. and Indonesian technicians were working to repair
\n15 of Indonesia's 24 C-130 air cargo planes to restore them to
\nflying status.<\/p>\n
The U.S. imposed the embargo after human rights violations in
\nEast Timor in 1999 during a UN-sponsored vote that saw the
\nterritory separate from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
When asked about the possibility of the U.S. lowering tariffs
\non Indonesian goods entering the country, Wolfowitz said he had
\nno authority to comment on the issue, but he welcomed plans by
\nthe European Union to cut tariffs on goods from tsunami-affected
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and other countries affected by the tsunami paid
\n$1.5 billion in tariffs to the U.S. government in 2004 alone. If
\nthe U.S. lowers tariffs on Indonesian goods, the government could
\ndivert some of its resources to rebuilding Aceh and North
\nSumatra.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-ready-to-help-ri-in-aceh-reconstruction-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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