RI allowed to buy U.S. non-lethal items
RI allowed to buy U.S. non-lethal items
Agencies, Washington
The United States will resume sales of nonlethal military
equipment to Indonesia, the State Department said on Thursday, as
the leader of the Southeast Asian nation wrapped up a U.S. visit.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, however, full
normalization of bilateral military ties with Indonesia, a nation
with the world's largest numbers of Muslims, required the
punishment of soldiers implicated in past human rights abuses.
In his meeting on Wednesday with U.S. President George Walker
Bush, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had called
for the restoration of military ties, and Bush responded
encouragingly.
"We decided to renew government-to-government transfers of
nonlethal defense articles and services to the government of
Indonesia," Boucher was quoted by Reuters. He said any purchases
would be funded by the Indonesians.
"We think that increased U.S. sales in these matters that are
specifically targeted can enhance democratic military reform, can
help us both achieve key security objectives, such as
humanitarian relief, counterterrorism and maritime security," he
told a news conference.
Boucher reiterated that full military ties required
prosecution of soldiers implicated in "gross violations of human
rights" and accountability for abuses committed in East Timor and
other places in the vast archipelago.
He said Washington also required continued counterterrorism
cooperation and transparency in military financing.
The decision allows government sales of excess military items
or equipment that can be sold as a package with training and
maintenance, Boucher said.
Washington had already revived the small International
Military and Education and Training program with Indonesia that
was frozen in the early 1990s because of human rights abuses in
East Timor. Indonesia was also allowed to buy spare parts
commercially for transport planes for rescue work after last
December's tsunami.
Human rights groups had called on Bush to refrain from
restoring U.S. military cooperation with Indonesia until justice
was served for violence in East Timor in 1999 and prosecution of
the killers of two Americans in Papua in 2002.
John Miller, a spokesman for the East Timor and Indonesia
Action Network, said the distinction between nonlethal and lethal
defense equipment was hard to draw. He called for continued
pressure on the Indonesian military to reform.
"The new (Indonesian) president has made a lot of promises and
reinforced some with this trip, but what's very important is that
the administration, Congress and civil society here and in
Indonesia hold them to those promises," he said.
President Susilo was scheduled to meet Microsoft founder Bill
Gates in Seattle later on Friday before leaving for Vietnam.
Susilo will be received by Vietnam President Tran Duc Luong on
Monday, after which the two are expected to witness the signing
of memorandums of understanding on cooperation in education and
cooperation in preventing and combating crimes.
During his trip to Vietnam, Susilo will also visit Ho Chi Minh
Mausoleum and receive Vietnam foreign minister Nguyen Dy Nien and
Vietnam education minister Tran Thi Trung Chien, who also chairs
the Vietnam-Indonesia Association.
On Monday, Susilo will address a business forum and hold
separate meetings with the president of the Vietnam National
Council, Nguyen Van An, Vietnam Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and
the secretary-general of the Vietnam Communist Party Nong Duc
Manh, before leaving for Japan.
Susilo will end his overseas trip on Friday.