National

TNI Careful About Comments on Normalization of USA/Indonesia Relationship
Thursday, 24 November, 2005 | 10:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters is being very careful about making comments on the US government’s decision to continue military support to Indonesia.

“We will not make any comment until US President George W. Bush gives a speech in front of the US Congress,” said Colonel Ahmad Yani Basuki, Section Head for Information at the TNI’s General Information Office, on Wednesday (23/11).

The US Government announced the lifting of the military embargo against Indonesia on Tuesday (22/11).

According to Sean McCormack, spokesperson for the US State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the US Government has planned “to provide support for special military programs and units that can help military modernization in Indonesia”.

Basuki said that TNI Commander General Endriartono Sutarto had requested Major General Kohirin Suganda, Head of the TNI’s Information Center, not to make any comment on this matter.

Up to now, the plan to lift the US military embargo against Indonesia has always been hampered by the US Congress.

Congress members focused on human rights problems, including the shooting in Timika in November 2002, that have resulted in US citizens being killed.
(Budi-Tempo News Room)