Susilo talks defense with Bush, Putin
Susilo talks defense with Bush, Putin
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has met U.S. President George
Walker Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks on how
to enhance Indonesia's defense capabilities and of ways to
contain the bird flu outbreak.
The meetings were held separately on the sidelines of the two-
day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan,
South Korea, on Saturday.
In a 30-minute meeting with Bush early in the morning, Susilo
discussed a plan by the United States to resume full military
ties with Indonesia after the U.S. Congress issued a bill to
revoke a decades-long arms embargo on Indonesia under certain
conditions.
"I am not pleading for a resumption. We deserve it because we
have undergone a long (process of) reform in our military, with
an emphasis on respecting human rights and democracy," he told a
news conference late on Saturday.
The United States scrapped military relations with Indonesia
after the 1991 bloody killing of East Timorese demonstrators in
the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili.
Under the U.S. Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act 2006 (HR 3057), a foreign
military financing program may be made available to assist
Indonesia, and licenses may be issued for the export of lethal
defense articles for the Indonesian Military (TNI).
However, certain conditions were set for the assistance,
including cooperation between the TNI and civilian judicial
authorities and international efforts to resolve cases of gross
violations of human rights in East Timor and elsewhere.
Indonesia will also be required to implement reforms to
improve civilian control over the military.
However, Susilo said Indonesia would no longer rely on just
one or two countries for military equipment as it had done for
decades. He did not specify to which countries he was referring.
"Past experience shows that relying too much on these kinds of
countries creates difficulties. We can't use their equipment at
times most needed. But we are not deserting them. We just need to
balance the system," he added.
Speaking about his meeting with President Putin later on
Saturday, Susilo said that cooperation with Russia in the defense
sector should be seriously explored, as Indonesia was seeking
alternative suppliers of military equipment.
The two leaders have agreed to assign officials for intensive
negotiations in order to set up a joint production facility for
certain sophisticated military equipment in Indonesia.
The two sides are expected to meet twice for negotiations
before Susilo visits Russia next year to close several deals in
the defense sector and energy.
"Aside from cooperation in the defense industry, President
Putin also offered cooperation in the field of military training
and exchange of officers," Susilo said, while conveying his
amazement at the capability of the Sukhoi fighter jets Indonesia
had bought from Russia in 2003.
Susilo and Bush also discussed the role the United States
could play in helping Indonesia contain bird flu, and prevent the
virus from spreading among humans.
"The discussion with President Bush was very constructive.
Among the issues discussed was on the U.S. assistance in
providing Indonesia with vaccines and other protective facilities
to contain the disease," he added.
The two also discussed the progress of reconstruction in
tsunami-stricken Aceh, with Bush asking about details of
Indonesia's recent success in sealing a peace deal with the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM).
Bush also reiterated the U.S. stance on supporting the unity
of Indonesia, insisting that he would back the country in any way
to settle the problem of the separatism movement in Papua
province peacefully.