THE BUSINESS TIMES, April 16, 2002
Dow Jones Newswires
Pentagon Sending Sr Official To Indonesia For Talks
WASHINGTON (AP)--A senior Pentagon official will travel to Indonesia next week for
defense policy talks that mark a new step in U.S. efforts to move Indonesia toward
greater civilian control of its military.
Peter T.R. Brookes, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific
affairs, will meet with Indonesian defense officials in Jakarta on April 24 and 25,
Pentagon officials said. Counter-terrorism is expected to be discussed but it isn't the
main reason for the meeting.
The session is an outgrowth of talks held last September in Washington between
U.S. President George W. Bush and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
The two leaders agreed that officials from the two countries' defense establishments
would meet periodically to discuss broad policy issues. Next week's meeting will be
the first.
Megawati has taken a hands-off approach to the military. This has allowed the
generals to retain links with domestic radicals, in particular the Laskar Jihad militia
blamed for thousands of deaths in a war with Christians in the Maluku province.
The Bush administration, which considers Indonesia a partner in the global war on
terrorism, wants to resume military assistance to Jakarta but is restricted by a
congressional ban imposed after the Indonesian army devastated East Timor in 1999.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires 15-04-02 2133GMT
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