Indonesia Warns US Against Interference in Anti-Terror Effort
Jakarta
06 June 2006
Indonesia has warned the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that Washington should not meddle in the way Asian governments are conducting anti-terrorism efforts. Rumsfeld is visiting Indonesia as part of a three-nation tour to boost military ties and security cooperation in the region.
The Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono told Rumsfeld Tuesday the United States should not impose the way it is conducting its war on terror on other governments, including Indonesia.
"You're very powerful and all pervasive across the globe… so in the application of security, including anti-terrorist laws, anti-terrorist measures, its best that you leave the main responsibility…to the local government in question," said Sudarsono.
Rumsfeld also met with the Indonesian president for talks on terrorism and improving military ties.
Washington cut military ties Jakarta in 1999 over alleged human rights violations by the Indonesian military.
But Indonesia has been hit by several bombings in recent years and has become a key U.S. regional ally in the war on terror, prompting Washington to lift restrictions on defense assistance last November.
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