Indonesia key focus for Australia-U.S. talks

CANBERRA, Australia -- Military relations between the United States and Indonesia and American access to Australian bases are likely to be key topics of talks Monday between top U.S. and Australian officials.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld are in the Australian capital of Canberra for the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.

They are meeting with their Australian counterparts Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Defense Minister Peter Reith as well as Australian defense force chiefs and senior bureaucrats.

Speaking earlier Monday Powell told media the Bush administration may ask Congress to remove restrictions on US military contact with Indonesia.

"Congress has in place certain restrictions on what we can do with the Indonesians, so we will approach the new Indonesian Government with an attitude of helpfulness but also an attitude of caution and only provide those things that are consistent with our laws," he said.

"We'll go back to our Congress to get those laws modified or waived if that seems to be appropriate."

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Such a move is supported by the Australian Government which in the past has had a turbulent relationship with Indonesian administrations over military and territorial issues.

"We don't want the U.S. to have no contact whatsoever with the Indonesian military," Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"On the other hand, they have some constraints in terms of congressional legislation and also ... there have been problems in the past of course with the Indonesian military as we all know all too well, and both the U.S. and us want to encourage the Indonesian military to adhere to international norms of human rights."

Downer also suggested the U.S. would be welcome to increase its use of Australian military facilities once the U.S. completes its internal military reviews.

Downer said the U.S. had not formally raised the issue of increased military access but said the U.S. had already used bombing ranges in the Northern Territory of Australia and had joined in the Tandem Thrust training operation earlier this year.

"Should they wish to use Australian facilities more than they already do, well when they've finished their review I guess we'll hear from them about what their wishes are and we'll make decisions on the basis of that," Downer said.

"We're very heartened by the focus that they're placing on the Asia Pacific region, that really is a very good thing for Australia," Downer said.

The current talks mark the 50th anniversary of Australia's military alliance with the U.S. and come amid condemnation of the U.S. for what is considered an increasingly isolationist stance on global issues.

Australia however has been defending its most important ally against these charges, with the exception of a falling out over the U.S. rejection of an international treaty on biological weapons.

Australia's conservative government has backed Bush's plans to develop a multi-billion dollar defense shield and Washington's rejection of the Kyoto protocol on climate change.

But Australia has also joined Canada in expressing regret over the U.S. decision to abandon efforts to strengthen a 30-year-ban on germ warfare.

"We are disappointed with what they've said on that and we'll be making a point of that," Defense Minister Reith told Channel Nine television.