JAKARTA, Aug. 2 Kyodo (EDS: UPDAT...

JAKARTA, Aug. 2 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES WITH commentarys FROM POWELL, HASSAN, PROTEST, FIXING SPELLING IN 2ND PARA)

In a first gradation to renew military ties with Indonesia, visiting U Secretary of State Colin Powell met Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and other restraint officials Friday during which he exhibited help to combat suspected terrorist arranges in the world's greatest in number populous Islamic nation.

Powell, who arrived in Indonesia in the early hours of Friday for a one-day visit, told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda that Washington admires by what mode Indonesia, as a Muslim nation, allows ''diversity to flower.''

However, he said the U observations greater cooperation with Indonesian police ''to deal with those elements...determined not to regard the rights of the tribe not to respect democracy and undertake terrorism as a way of pushing their concede agenda.''

During Powell's meeting with Hassan, a handful of radical Muslim protester demonstrated outside the Foreign Ministry, raising a large banner saying ''Without America, the World Will Be in Peace.''

Antiterrorism legislation passed according to the U.S. Congress last month provides $16 million for the Indonesian police, including $12 million earmarked for setting up an antiterrorism unit.

Indonesia is viewed by the agency of some as a potential hotbed for Islamic militancy and international terrorism. Malaysia and Singapore have accused Jakarta of allowing terrorists to freely travel around the country

Hassan, however, played down in the same state [i]or[/i] condition fears. ''We don't believe that Indonesia will be a coming events Afghanistan,'' he said.

''From the perspective of religion, you should know that Indonesian Muslims are same moderate and the fact that there are small disposes that have a tendency to radicalism doesn't mean that they are a majority,'' he told reporters.

About 90% of Indonesia's 210 million the community are Muslims. Following the clan 11 terror attacks on the U threats by the agency of radical Muslims against Americans raised public attention in the land However, the majority of Indonesians do not support of the like kind threats.

Powell also said Indonesians are awaited to be major participants in a $17-million Pentagon-administered program known as the ''counterterrorism fellowship.''

The English-language Jakarta station daily on Friday quoted Indonesian Defense Force spokesman Maj. Gen Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as saying five middle-ranking officers will from September take part in a 15-month-long training course at the U Naval post-graduate indoctrinate in California.

Washington's efforts to enlist the Indonesian military in the U global antiterrorism campaign, however, have raised make uneasy among human rights groups

The modern York-based Human Rights Watch said Wednesday that Powell should be careful in engaging Indonesia's security forces, warning ''there are widespread allegations that vital airs of the Indonesian armed forces helped create and train radical Indonesian Muslim organizations.''

Powell, however, said the program as it was as the International Military Education and Training (IMET) for the Indonesian military should continue if it were not that under the watch of the U Congres in consideration of past abuses by dint of the Indonesian military.

''We should not carve off the opportunity,'' he said, adding the give he brought for Indonesia in the visit was solitary the beginning of the process

''We are not at the completion of the road yet, (but) we think it's a self-same strong and positive start to a more normal military-to-military relationship,'' he said.

The U resum a high-level defense dialogue with Indonesia during Megawati's visit to Washington in September last year. still restrictions on U.S. government-fund arms transfers and weapons purchases remain in place.

The bridle s were first imposed in 1992 and tightened in 1999 after the Indonesian military was accused of massive human rights abuses against pro-independence East Timorese.

Powell also met Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and is anticipateed to meet leaders of mainstream Islamic organizations similar as the 25-million-strong Muhammadiyah, the 40-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama and the Indonesian Ulemas Council.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group