Indonesia to look for new arms suppliers

Indonesia to look for new arms suppliers

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government will have to look for alternative arms
suppliers with the U.S. appearing likely to extend its military
embargo against the country, according to a senior minister.

"We have many strategic alternatives ... for developing our
military strength. We will not be depending solely on the U.S.,"
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs
Widodo Adi Sucipto said following a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

He was commenting on reports that U.S. lawmakers recently
renewed their campaign to convince the administration to extend a
13-year military embargo imposed on Indonesia. The U.S. lawmakers
claim the Indonesian government has not done enough to bring to
justice the perpetrators of a 2002 ambush in Papua that killed
two American citizens and one Indonesian citizen. The lawmakers
have also required that the U.S. State Department must first
certify that Indonesia is being cooperative in the global fight
against terrorism before full military ties can be resumed.

"We need to face this reality by preparing other
alternatives," Widodo said.

Indonesia's military equipment has been steadily deteriorating
as a result of the arms embargo by the U.S., which was imposed
following the gross human rights violations in the former
province of East Timor.

But a dispute earlier this year between Indonesia and Malaysia
over territory and resources made some quarters see the urgency
of modernizing the country's military equipment.

Government officials and Indonesian Military (TNI) officers
have done some "window-shopping" in several countries, including
China, India, South Korea and a number of eastern Europe
countries. Indonesia has also purchased jet fighters and
helicopters from Russia.

The TNI is unlikely to purchase new arms for another two years
because of the government's current financial difficulties, but
it could start expanding its equipment purchases in 2007 if the
country's economy continues to strengthen.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, needs a strong
military force not only to address threats at home, such as
separatist movements, but also as a deterrent against neighboring
countries, most of which have updated their military capacity.

Widodo, however, said military cooperation with the U.S. had
already been revived in certain areas, pointing out the U.S.
assistance for training TNI personnel and the resumption of spare
parts supplies for Hercules aircraft.

"As an example, the U.S. recently disbursed some US$1 million
worth of assistance for a joint training program between the
navies of the two countries," Widodo said.

Widodo added that the failure to revive full military ties
with the U.S. was not due to the government's weak diplomatic
efforts, as suggested by some critics.

"The extension of the embargo is not due to any failure on the
part of our diplomacy. The U.S. must have its own considerations
(for maintaining the embargo)."