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)