U.S. backs Indonesian territorial integrity

U.S. backs Indonesian territorial integrity

WASHINGTON (Agencies): Despite Washington's support for East Timorese independence last year, the United States does not back any of the other movements seeking to cut ties with Indonesia, the U.S. State Department said Wednesday.

Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth said the United States "does not want to be a party" to the dismantling of Indonesia, saying such an outcome would have a "devastating" impact throughout the region.

Roth testified before the House International Relations Asia- Pacific subcommittee.

He said that East Timor was a unique situation because Indonesia's integration of the territory was not recognized internationally.

Roth added that the same circumstances do not apply to any of the other regions where there are pro-independence movements.

Del. Eni Maleomavaega, a Democratic member of Congress who represents American Samoa, took issue with Roth, particularly in reference to Irian Jaya.

He suggested that Indonesia does not have a legitimate claim to the region because of ethnic and linguistic differences and other reasons.

"I consider this very shameful on the part of the administration," Maleomavaega said.

Roth said the administration supports efforts by the Indonesian government to open a dialog with territories which have "very legitimate grievances."

On economic issues, Treasury Under Secretary Timothy Geithner said there was very little foreign investment going into Indonesia and very little return of Indonesian capital that fled the country when the country underwent an economic and political upheaval two years ago.

But, he said he was confident that capital will return if Indonesia maintains its reformist economic policies.

Some keys to attracting foreign investment, he said, are openness and an end to corruption, which he described as "pervasive" under the previous regime.

Asked about the future of military-to-military ties, Roth said the key issues for the administration are the establishment of civil supremacy in Indonesia and assurances that military personnel will be held accountable for their actions.

Meanwhile U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking to the House International Relations Committee described Indonesia as a key democracy and investment target for the United States in the region.

However she admitted that the ongoing strife in the Indonesian provinces of Irian Jaya and Aceh worried the administration.

"This is something that is obviously of major concern to us. They (Jakarta) need to find a peaceful solution to that problem." "I would like to assure you this is something we talk about a great deal," she added.