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.