RI 'must maximize' bargaining power with Washington

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia must maximize its bargaining power with the Clinton administration to help water down an amendment passed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives condemning alleged human rights abuses in East Timor, an observer said yesterday.

International relations researcher Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said there was little that Jakarta could do to dissuade the bill except seek support through Clinton's administration.

Kusnanto said the administration would be more realistic and take into account economic and security concerns in its ties with Indonesia.

The House unanimously passed an amendment yesterday condemning human rights abuses in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor.

The amendment was introduced by Rhode Island democrat Patrick Kennedy.

Reuters quoted Kennedy as saying the unanimous vote would "serve as a launching point for further action against Indonesia".

The Foreign Policy Reform Act is part of a larger overhaul of the U.S. State Department and various pronouncements on international issues which include payment of arrears to the United Nations and the situation in the Middle East.

Under the Act's chapter on International Military Education and Training there are sections calling for the cessation of military assistance and arms transfer to Indonesia unless Jakarta improves various human rights conditions.

Kusnanto said realistically there was nothing Indonesia could do to stop these moves through Congress.

"All we can do is continue or lobby and make promises that will improve the situation," he said. "But you see we've already been doing that.

"Basically the Indonesian foreign ministry will be forced into an even more defensive position," he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas announced Friday that Indonesia was canceling the purchase of F-16 jet fighters and participation in the International Military Education and Training program because of congressional linkages to human rights issues.

Alatas said the decision was taken to remove possible impediments to the Clinton administration's efforts to improve bilateral ties.

Kennedy said at the House floor yesterday that Jakarta took the decision because it was "feeling defensive". "They wanted to get the planes out of the way before this Congress expressed its strong opinion on their human rights abuses."

The Indonesian foreign ministry did not respond yesterday to the unanimous passing of the amendment.

Alatas said here earlier yesterday that Washington did not support a proposed bill in Massachusetts State which would prohibit companies there dealing with Indonesia.

"I don't think the bill in Massachusetts will succeed. Even if it does it would be a much weaker version, so it won't be a problem," he said in response to questions from journalists.

"Those opposing it are U.S. businesspeople and the federal government itself," he added.

Speaking after attending the swearing in of retired Gen. Hartono as the minister of information, Alatas said that, after accompanying President Soeharto to Turkey, he would fly directly to New York to attend the ninth tripartite talks with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama.

The talks on East Timor will be the first under Annan who took over the top UN post in January.

Alatas had little optimism that the July 19 to July 20 meeting would achieve anything.

"In my opinion it will be procedural," he said.

Nevertheless Alatas remained hopeful that under Annan's aegis the talks could progress. "He seems to want concrete results and has assigned a special assistant to handle this matter," Alatas said. (mds)