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.