Indonesia to produce missiles with China
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=44682
15:42 AEST Thu Sep 1 2005
AAP
AP - Indonesia is considering jointly producing short-range
missiles with China, the defence minister said, while expressing
hope that Washington would further ease restrictions on
military-to-military ties.
Juwono Sudarsono said all but four of Indonesia's F-16 fighter
planes have been grounded since the United States cut military
contacts with Jakarta six years ago, describing that as barely
enough "to provide an adequate deterrent force."
He said he was fairly optimistic the US Congress would soon make it
possible for Indonesia to get the spare parts required to repair
five or six of its grounded planes.
In the meantime, Indonesia is considering jointly producing
short-range missiles with China after 2009 that "we hope will be
able to support our military defences," he said in an
interview.
"We are planning for about 10 to 15 missiles" with a range of 150
to 200 kilometres, the defence chief said.
The missiles would be placed on several Indonesian islands "to
create some credible defence," he said, adding that the sprawling
archipelago is also looking at India as a possible source of
military supplies.
The US Congress cut military contacts with Jakarta in 1999 when
Indonesian soldiers were blamed for widespread killing in East
Timor after the territory voted for independence.
The Bush administration wants the ban lifted, arguing that
Washington should be supporting the world's most populous Muslim
nation and a key battleground in its fight on terror.
Sudarsono said at present Indonesia is looking at Ukraine and
Russian, and possibly China, for strike aircraft design.
"But we would prefer to maintain and revive our relationship with
the US, because the F-16 is basically the standard of most ASEAN
countries," he said.
He said Indonesia also needs more C-130 transport planes, "not only
to move troops within the country ... but also to ferry assistance
for national or man-made disasters."
The US and Indonesian militaries worked side by side in the
aftermath of the December 26 tsunami distributing emergency food
and water and rescuing survivors in the hard-hit province of Aceh
on Sumatra Island.
In addition, several joint programs and training exercises between
the two forces have been held over the last two years and limited
sales of military equipment to Indonesia are now also
permitted.
But Congress and human rights groups have rejected full
normalisation because of the failure of Indonesia to punish anyone
in connection with the killings in East Timor and concerns about
human rights abuses by the military.
©AAP 2005
