U.S. maintains plan to sell F-16s to RI

By Yenni Djahidin

WASHINGTON (JP): The United States administration is waiting for the right moment to notify Congress on its plan to sell nine F-16 jet fighters to Indonesia, an official said.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the administration still hoped to go ahead with the sale, which has been blocked by Congress because of concerns over the human rights condition in Indonesia.

"We remain committed to the sale of nine F-16s to Indonesia, but we don't plan to notify Congress formally at this time," the official said Wednesday.

The proposal was withdrawn following riots in Jakarta last July, which raised questions about the Indonesian government's commitment to uphold human rights.

The administration had earlier hoped to re-submit the sales proposal to Congress in January.

Asked why the administration had still not notified Congress, the official said, "Because we don't think we have the votes to win".

Indonesia, which has just received the last of the 24 British- made Hawk planes it ordered, said that since the F-16 sales was a Washington initiative, it would leave the matter entirely to the United States.

The fighters were originally ordered by Pakistan in 1990, but were never delivered because Washington suspected Islamabad was developing nuclear weapons.

Indonesia currently has 10 F-16s in its squadron of fighter planes.

Some analysts in the U.S. said the U.S. government was also reluctant to do something which would seem to favor Indonesia because of the issue of political contributions to the National Democratic Party by Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group.

U.S. State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns rejected the claim Monday, saying the withdrawal was tied to the human rights situation in Indonesia.

"It's framed really on human rights concerns, not on any other allegation about improper financial activities by the Lippo Group," Burns said.

Earlier press reports said the Indonesian Air Force ordered an F-16 flight simulator last month.

The writer is Washington correspondent for Media Indonesia daily newspaper.