Clinton defends F-16 deal with RI

Clinton defends F-16 deal with RI

WASHINGTON (AFP): The Clinton administration tried Wednesday
to sell Congress on its plans to proceed with the sale of nine F-
16 fighter jets to Indonesia next year despite human rights
concerns.

"This is not a new weapons system. They already possess F-
16s," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Kurt Campbell told a
Senate subcommittee.

"So we thought this was prudent, it was a small number, and
again ... (consistent with Indonesia's) responsible regional and
international behavior, " Campbell said.

"A regionally respected armed forces with credible defensive
capabilities that trains and operates in a non-threatening manner
is an important contributor to regional stability," he said.

President Bill Clinton's administration decided to postpone
selling the F-16s to Indonesia until January at the earliest.

But White House and State Department officials say they still
believe the F-16 sale serves U.S. national interests and will go
forward when Congress reconvenes after the November general
election.

"We don't believe we're contributing to any arms race,"
Assistant Secretary of State Winston Lord said.

Lord and Campbell also continued cooperation and exchanges
with the Indonesian military, noting that contact with U.S.
forces would help reduce alleged human rights abuses.

Indonesia's military spending remains only 1.5 percent of its
gross domestic product, he said, and its air force capability is
small in comparison with that of its Asian neighbors.

U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern at
Indonesia's treatment of dissidents, and Washington exports no
small arms or lethal crowd-control items to Jakarta.

Pakistan ordered the F-16s for $200 million in the 1980s but
was barred from receiving them in 1990 because of U.S. suspicions
that Islamabad was developing nuclear weapons.

Following repeated Pakistani complaints, the administration
decided in April to deliver some of the equipment and refund some
of the money, so long as it could find a buyer for the F-16s.

"The United States has acted, in effect, as Pakistan's agent
in this regard," Lord said Wednesday. "Despite our approaches to
numerous nations, only Indonesia has agreed to purchase some of
the Pakistani planes."

Indonesia's air strike force mainly comprises U.S.-built jets
such as A64 Skyhawks, F-5s, and a squadron of 12 new F-16s
ordered in 1989.