Rice heaps praise on RI's new govt

Rice heaps praise on RI's new govt

Associated Press, Washington

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised on Tuesday Indonesia's government, lauding its stated aim of becoming a voice for moderate Islam and stressing that the southeast Asian nation exemplifies how Islam and democracy can coexist.

In the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, "we have now ... a reformist government that is forward leaning," said Rice. "One of the things that they have said is that they want to be a voice for moderate forms of Islam that understand that democracy ...and Islam are by no means enemies of one another and that people of all ethnic groups and all heritages and religious heritages can live together."

"And so we need to support this government, and we're trying to do that," said Rice, noting that Susilo is a graduate of the U.S.'s International Military Education program. Her comments came in response to audience questions after she delivered a speech on Iraq at the conservative Heritage Foundation think- tank.

Rice said that such world leaders who have been trained or educated in the United States tend to be more open-minded about America and "less given to the kind of caricatures and stereotypes about the United States."

Susilo took office last year vowing to crack down on the corruption endemic to Indonesia, and relations between the two countries have warmed with the Bush administration viewing it as an ally in the war on terror.

The U.S. government in May said it was lifting a ban on the sale of certain military equipment to Indonesia, the latest step in restoring military ties between the countries.

Rice stressed multiethnic Indonesia was an example of how Islam, which she described as an "honorable religion," and democracy can coexist.

"As we know in our own country, as well as in other democracies, people of Islamic faith are some of the strongest supporters of democratic development," said Rice. "And so, Indonesia is an important example of that."