U.S. looking to improve military ties with RI

U.S. looking to improve military ties with RI

WASHINGTON (DPA): The Bush administration is consulting with
Congress about lifting restrictions on military ties with
Indonesia, a top Pentagon official confirmed Tuesday.

Peter Rodman, assistant defence secretary for international
security affairs, said that the move was part of a desire in
Washington to improve contacts with the new regime of President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"There's been a decision in this government to try to engage
with the new government of Indonesia," Rodman said. "It's a
government on which to rest the hopes of a lot of us and a lot of
Indonesia's neighbors. So engaging with the military is a natural
thing for us to do."

One obstacle to improving ties are limits imposed by Congress
in 1999 after the Indonesian army's crackdown on separatists in
East Timor. Congress passed legislation banning military sales
and training until Jakarta provides a "full accounting" of human
rights abuses in East Timor.

"We're engaged in congressional consultations to see what
flexibility there might be, whether there's a consensus between
the two branches of government about perhaps relaxing some of the
restrictions," Rodman said.

The U.S. and Indonesian militaries have continued to cooperate
in other areas, such as joint training for humanitarian relief.