Easing of sanctions against Indonesia weighed
Easing of sanctions against Indonesia weighed
WASHINGTON (Agencies): The U.S. State Department is consulting
with Congress on a partial lifting of the ban on military-to-
military contacts that was imposed last September.
But spokesman Richard Boucher said Wednesday Indonesia has not
yet fully complied with the conditions that were set for resuming
the contacts.
"At this point, there's no plan to resume defense item sales
or transfers," he said, as quoted by AP.
Boucher expressed support for the Indonesian government's
recent action to address the Maluku Islands situation by imposing
a state of civil emergency, removing the troops who have taken
sides in the violence and by replacing officers who have been
unable to enforce discipline.
"We hope the government will implement those measures promptly
while adhering to international standards for the protection of
human rights," he said.
He added that the United States remains deeply concerned about
the cycle of violence in the country.
The embargo was mandated by the U.S. Congress last year after
the Indonesian Military was blamed for being responsible for the
violence in East Timor.
But Indonesia has been stepping up its campaign for a reversal
of the embargo. In an interview in the Washington Post on
Wednesday, Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono claimed
the military was suffering a chronic shortage of resources due to
the embargo and had been forced to pull back several cargo planes
and patrol boats needed in the Malaku Islands.
Juwono said the military was in a "tenuous situation" and
badly needed to get transport planes back in the air.
"They have an important role in providing supplies in
emergency situations, whether it's a man-made or a natural
disaster," he was quoted as saying.
In Jakarta on Thursday, Juwono again said Indonesia is
"seeking the lifting of a ban on sales of parts we need for some
defense systems equipment, such the Hercules aircraft.
"The (Hercules) spare parts need to be replaced because they
have exceeded 100 flight hours".
Juwono said the lack of parts could compromise flight safety
and hamper relief efforts in riot-hit areas such as the Maluku
Islands.
"What is more important is the role of the Hercules to
transport food and medical supplies for refugees quickly,"
Sudarsono said. "We also need rapid movement of troops and police
to quell unrest."
Asked if Indonesia had considered "alternative sources" for
the purchase of military equipment, other than from the United
States, Juwono replied that China and South Korea had been
considered.
"We have tried a counter trade with South Korea for high-speed
patrol boats," he said.
"Some light-weight supplies such as ammunition could be
purchased from China," he added.
However, 70 percent of Indonesia's army, navy and air force
equipment was "totally dependent on technology and spare parts
from the U.S.," he noted. The remaining balance was from Europe
and South Korea.