Holland provides parts for Indonesian ships

THE HAGUE (JP): Dutch foreign minister Van Aartsen said on Friday that his government had agreed to supply spare parts to Indonesian Navy ships operating in the waters of riot-torn Maluku.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with visiting Indonesian foreign minister Alwi Shihab, Aartsen said the parts would be used to replenish several Navy frigates.

Shihab said five of Indonesia's six Dutch-made frigates in Maluku were in poor condition due to obsolete equipment.

The Navy imposed a blockade in Maluku waters earlier this year to help prevent the spread of violence in the area and expedite evacuations of refugees.

The ships have been patrolling the waters to prevent "unidentified" ships from commuting between or entering the area of the riot-hit islands.

Officials had said the blockade would also prevent rioters from moving and smuggling weapons from one island to another.

Alwi, who was on a brief visit to the Netherlands, had said earlier that foreign diplomats and UN officials accredited in Indonesia would be allowed to visit Maluku to monitor the situation in the province.

He also said President Abdurrahman Wahid had asked former Dutch foreign minister Hans Van den Broek to be his special advisor.

Van den Broek's wife said her husband's first reaction to the statement was "complete nonsense" and "nobody has asked me for that job".

Van den Broek later said, however, that he recalled in May he was called by Van Aartsen who told him that Abdurrahman was looking for an advisor.

Van den Broek said he in principle accepted the offer, but added that he would first visit Jakarta "to hear from the President what this job exactly means".

"If Abdurrahman wants me to find a solution to the Maluku problem, then I will see what I can do for him," Van den Broek said.(Bob Mantiri)