Air Force cargo planes back in the air: Hanafie

Air Force cargo planes back in the air: Hanafie

JAKARTA (JP): Several Air Force cargo planes will be back in
the air after the United States eased a military assistance
suspension on Indonesia last September, Air Force chief of staff
Air Marshal Hanafie Asnan said on Tuesday.

"We are glad that some of our cargo planes will be flying
after they have been parked for several months due to the U.S.
suspension of its military aids, including spare parts, in
September 1999," Hanafie said during a gathering to break the
fast.

He would not reveal the number of planes which had to be
grounded following the suspension of aircraft spare-part
transfers or sales.

The suspension was lifted on Sept. 24, 2000, based on the U.S.
State Department's consideration of the planes' important role in
supplying logistics to remote areas in the country.

Hanafie said the U.S. government should further consider
lifting the entire suspension as the Indonesian government had
shown its political commitment in trying alleged perpetrators of
human rights abuse in East Timor.

"We hope the whole suspension will be lifted as soon as
possible in an effort to enhance the two countries' bilateral
ties," he said, adding that the suspension had not affected the
good ties between the two countries' defense forces.

Following the suspension, an American-made F-5 Tiger jet
fighter undergoing regular service was not allowed to leave the
United States and three jet engines remained in South Korea and
New Zealand.

Asked about the Singaporean government's plan to donate 17
Mercetti training aircraft to Indonesia, Hanafie said Singapore
was awaiting approval for the military aid from parliament.

"Despite the uneasy relations between the two countries, so
far, the Singaporean government has no plan to cancel the
handover of the planes," he said.

The Singaporean military has agreed with its government to
grant the planes to Indonesia. Besides having to spend a large
amount of money on maintenance costs, its pilots have undergone
training programs overseas. (rms)