U.S. seeks to restore military ties with RI 

Jakarta Post.com 30/3/02

JAKARTA (JP): United States senators met with Indonesia's top officials on Saturday to study the possibility of restoring military cooperation between the two countries which was suspended after the East Timor mayhem in 1999. Accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce,Senator Daniel K. Inofye and Senator Ted Stevens held separate talks with Vice President Hamzah Haz, Coordinating Minister 
for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indonesian Military (TNI) top officials.

"The meeting was aimed at looking at the possibility of reviewing the cooperation between Indonesia and the U.S. especially in military issues. We discussed the security measures Indonesia has taken in dealing with terrorists," Susilo said after his encounter with the U.S. delegates. Susilo said he stressed during the discussion that Indonesia was currently facing more complicated security problems than just the threat of global terrorism, as the country was at the same time tackling 
sectarian and communal clashes and public disorder. "We asked the U.S, to look at the security problems in Indonesia in that context. It does not mean we are not serious in fighting terrorism, but we already are negotiating our way 
through a lot of problems," Susilo said.

Officials from the two countries plan to hold a forum next month in Jakarta to review security cooperation and the possibility of fully normalizing military ties. The U.S. suspended military cooperation in protest over the alleged gross human rights violations in East Timor following the independence vote there. The Indonesian Military and its affiliated pro-autonomy militias have been blamed for the atrocities, which left hundreds killed and forced 250,000 East Timorese to seek refuge in neighboring West Timor. But, since2000, the U.S. has gradually restored military ties but maintains an embargo on combat equipment. Officials here claim the ban has hampered security authorities in maintaining peace and order andfighting terrorism.