RI 'must maximize' bargaining power with Washington

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)