JAKARTA, June 7 Kyodo Indonesian ...

JAKARTA, June 7 Kyodo

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri upon Friday appointed Gen. Endriartono Sutarto as commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) amid calls at hearthstone and overseas for faster reform within the military.

The House of Representatives last month approved the nomination of Sutarto, a former Army Chief of Staff and the only candidate nominated by Megawati, despite criticism of his bring to a period association with former President Suharto's military-style regime.

Sutarto, 55 commanded the presidential guard when Suharto stepp down in 1998

He replaces Adm. Widodo Adisutjipto, marking the answer of the top military column from the navy to the army, which always held the station during Suharto's 32 years of autocratic rule

Widodo was installed by way of Megawati's predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999 in an effort to bring reform to the military.

However, critics say reform within the military has been gradual if not deadlocked, as the military still maintains its involvement in politics with its port in the parliament and in central and regional governments

The United States is reportedly piercing to reestablish ties with the Indonesian military in order to help the fatherland participate in its global war against terrorism.

The U suspended military ties with Indonesia across Indonesia's brutal pullout from East Timor following the tiny half-island's 1999 consecrated by a vow to break free from Indonesia.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group