U.S. to resume military ties with Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): The United States has quietly moved to begin mending military ties with Indonesia after they were suspended for more than eight months following the East Timor debacle.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab confirmed on Thursday the decision and hailed Washington's decision.

He termed it "good" news.

Rather than elaborating on the dynamics of the process for the preliminary normalization of military ties, Alwi patted himself on the back as the architect of the breakthrough.

"It's one of the accomplishments of a foreign minister whose success must be noted," said as trying to answer back at recent critics who have said he meddles too much in domestic affairs.

Without hesitation, Alwi responded to journalists' questions by stating Washington's decision was a result of his meeting with U.S. State Secretary Madeleine Albright.

"Yes. We said we would open all opportunities in making Indonesia-America relations without impediments, including the military relationship," he said.

Alwi neglected to mention that the U.S. decision was not unexpected.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono met with Pentagon officials in Washington in April and expressed optimism the United States would resume military assistance.

Washington's decision comes only after the European Union lifted its embargo in January and at a time when Indonesia defense officials have several times asserted that they would look to countries other than the United States in its military dealings.

Reform

U.S. officials in Washington earlier said the move was a result of Indonesia being able to demonstrate its seriousness in pursuing reform, including in the military sphere.

"It (the Indonesian government) has moved to establish civilian control over the military and accountability for the military abuses in East Timor and throughout Indonesia," U.S. State Department spokesman Phil Reeker as saying.

"So we're looking for further progress and trying to find ways we can encourage positive reform, we will be examining our own military-to-military relationship. But no decisions have been made, so the basic policy established in September remains," he said during a daily press briefing.

Washington suspended all joint military exercises and exchanges and other support for Indonesia on Sept. 9 to protest the violence which swept the territory following a historic referendum.

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon described the decision as a modest step in an acknowledgement of the new government's interests in constructing civilian control over the military.

Bacon noted the departure of coordinating minister for political affairs and security Gen. (ret) Wiranto as a significant example of its progress to make the military accountable for its action in East Timor.

"They have made some progress toward reform and accountability and reform in their military. They have worked hard to improve conditions along the border with East Timor. They are moving towards civilian control of the military," he was quoted as saying by AFP.

However, Bacon noted the U.S. still excluded the Army from the preliminary contacts.

The Indonesian Air Force sent 10 observers to the Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand, which involved U.S., Thai and Singaporean forces. The exercises ended Tuesday.

Navy personnel also have been invited to take part in a bilateral exercise in July as part of the Cooperative and Readiness Afloat Training (CARAT), which the U.S. Navy conducts with Southeast Asian countries, he said.

"These are the first steps. We have to think about what steps we take after this. The steps we are contemplating will continue to be modest in terms of exchanges," said Bacon.

It is still not clear whether the U.S. decision also includes the restoration of the International Military Exercise and Training (IMET) program. (prb)