24 Nov 2005

Indonesia gives cautious reaction to US decision to resume military aid

8:22 am on 24 November 2005

Indonesia has reacted cautiously to the United States' decision to resume military aid to the country.

The Indonesian armed forces say they'll withhold comments until President Bush presents the proposal to Congress.

The US State Department says Washington plans "to provide assistance for specific military programmes and units that it says will help to modernise the Indonesian military."

US military dealings with Indonesia have been restricted since 1991 when Jakarta's forces launched a crackdown on pro-independence protesters in East Timor.

The United States has also made it clear full normalisation of military relations is contingent on the Indonesian authorities' efforts to solve the killing of two American teachers in the province of Papua in 2002.