National

Government to Increase TNI Capacity
Friday, 25 November, 2005 | 09:14 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian government has welcomed the normalization of military relations with the United States.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo AS, said that the resumption of military ties with the US would be used to improve the military capacity of Indonesia.

“This is important in developing the capacity and abilities of the Indonesian Military (TNI),” Widodo told reporters at the Vice Presidential Office in Jakarta on Thursday (24/11).

The Coordinating Minister added that the normalization would include cooperation in military education.

As for the purchase of weapons from the US, Widodo said that this would be the responsibility of the Indonesian Defense Department.

Regarding security in Poso, Central Sulawesi, Widodo said that the government has established a task unit to settle the security problems there as a follow up to Presidential Instruction No.14/2005.

Amongst the four points that must be paid attention to, Widodo said, were the solving of criminal and terrorism cases in Poso, the establishment of social harmony, the creation of a sense of safety and the settlement of residual problems, including the allocation of social aid funds. (Budiriza-Tempo News Room)