Reports on U.S. military base request denied
Reports on U.S. military base request denied
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia adamantly denied yesterday reports
that the United States had made requests to install a floating
arms depot here.
"It's absolutely untrue," Indonesian Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas told reporters when asked to confirm the
report in question.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha
presidential office yesterday, Alatas said such a request was
unlikely to be granted since Washington fully understood
Jakarta's disinterest in a foreign military presence.
Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai announced in Bangkok on
Monday that he had rejected the United States' plea, made by
President Bill Clinton during Chuan's visit to Washington last
month, to place military cargo ships in the Gulf of Thailand.
Leekpai personally told visiting U.S. Pacific Forces
Commander-in-Chief Adm. R. Macke on Monday of Bangkok's
disapproval.
The Thai premier cited his fear of inducing a misunderstanding
with Thailand's fellow members in the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) should the proposal be accepted.
ASEAN is a political-economic grouping which comprises
Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and
Thailand.
Following Bangkok's rejection, foreign news agencies reported
that the U.S. had also put forth a request to Indonesia and the
Philippines.
"I don't want to comment nor give any grounds on why Thailand
rejected the offer, but one thing is certain and that is that no
such request was made to Indonesia," Alatas remarked.
When confronted with the issue, Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono concurred with Alatas, saying that Indonesia is adamant
in its stance towards a foreign military presence.
"Obviously, we do not want foreign bases on our soil, whatever
form it may take," Moerdiono asserted.
As an ASEAN member, Indonesia has long lobbied for a
Southeast Asian region free of foreign military intervention.
Though Indonesia would reject foreign military bases here,
Alatas said that such a position did not qualify as an automatic
rejection of U.S. military presence in the region.
"Their presence doesn't have to manifest itself in the shape
of a military base in Southeast Asia," Alatas noted. "Their
presence in this large region of ours can be in the political and
economic field."
Balance
Since the closure of the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay in the
Philippines in 1992, American military presence in Southeast Asia
has been at its lowest in several decades.
However recent developments have shown the U.S. need for
several overseas military depots or even bases for logistical
support of its rapid deployment force.
"Indonesia is not saying that American military presence is
not needed," Alatas said.
He explained that in the north there are four major powers
which cannot be denied -- the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
"American presence is necessary to create a balance between
those major powers," he said.
When asked about his perception of the overall security of the
region, Alatas felt that East Asia and the Pacific are generally
more stable than other regions in the world.
To maintain the amicable climate, he called on all countries
in the region to work together by way of dialog and preventive
diplomacy. (mds)