Transcript: Secretary Cohen Remarks in Singapore September 16, 2000
(Cohen says U.S. supports united Indonesia)Secretary of Defense William Cohen says the United States supports a united Indonesia and has no plans to intervene in the situation in East Timor.
During a press availability September 16 in Singapore, Cohen told reporters that the major concern of the United States is that the West Timor situation not deteriorate further and that militias not undermine the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor.
"What we have done is supported the UN peacekeeping mission, but we do not plan intervention," the Defense Secretary said.
Cohen also expressed concern over whether or not Indonesia's President Wahid "does in fact have control over the military and will hold those accountable who have committed abuses in East Timor."
He added that "it's very important that we reaffirm our commitment to a united Indonesia, that we do not favor any of the separatist movements."
Following is a transcript of the press availability:
(begin transcript)
Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
Press Availability
Shangri-La Hotel
Singapore
Saturday, September 16, 2000Q: How's the day been? Good?
Secretary Cohen: The day has been quite good, yes. I had meetings with BG Lee. I have known him for quite a few years, and had a chance just to review the status of our relationship which, of course, is quite outstanding. We have very strong military-to-military ties.
We have the Singaporeans, of course, in the process of completing the construction of the Changi Naval Base that will accommodate aircraft carriers, which - we expect to have one visit sometime either in January or February of next year. We also have a close relationship in terms of their training. They have acquired, of course, the F-16s and will also acquire AMRAN for the F-16s. And, so, there are a number of training missions, where they train back in the United States and it's just, essentially, reaffirming the strong bonds we have with the Singaporeans.
And then I met with President Nathan and he's an old friend. I've known him many years and we basically covered some of the same territory, and then tonight, I went over to the award that Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew received for his career promoting public integrity and watched his books -- all the people who had contributed $10,000 per book. That was quite extraordinary. But I had a chance to have a little after-ceremony dessert. It's been a busy day.
Q: Let me ask you something. I know you don't want to get too far ahead of the game because you're not going to be available tomorrow night. Are you a bit concerned about the stability of Indonesia, given the bomb blast and how the problems and questions about the control of the military are?
Secretary Cohen: Well, I think that there is concern in terms of sporadic instances. There is concern about the bomb blast, but that could occur, you know, virtually anywhere. We've had our own bomb blasts in the United States. But I think that the concern on the part of the United States, and many other countries right now, is whether or not the West Timor situation will deteriorate further and that the militias will try to undermine what has been successful as far as the peacekeeping mission on the part of the UN in East Timor, and whether or not Wahid does in fact have control over the military and will hold those accountable who have committed abuses in East Timor.
I think all of that is very much in the mind of the United States government and people and also many Western countries as well. I think that it's very important that we reaffirm our commitment to a united Indonesia, that we do not favor any of the separatist movements. We want to try to get back to having strong military-to-military relations with Indonesia, but that cannot take place until such time as we are satisfied that they are moving forward to the subordination basically of the military to civilian rule.
Q: Do you think Wahid can in fact - do you think it's a question of whether he wants to or do you think he can get control of the military?
Secretary Cohen: I really am not in a position to make a judgement on that. I think he has to. And I think that it's clear that the international community is looking very carefully and closely at what is taking place in Indonesia. But everyone in the region recognizes that the military will continue to play an important role in maintaining stability in Indonesia, but that also there needs to be accountability, and hopefully that accountability assessment can take place on the part of the Indonesian government, rather than having it imposed or externally created. And so I think he has an opportunity to demonstrate that he is in charge and is in control and can help really reduce and eliminate the militias in West Timor from causing the kind of havoc that they've been causing recently.
Q: Mr. Secretary, was the deployment of the ARG off East Timor meant to send a signal to the Indonesians that the United States is ready and able to intervene again if that situation continues to deteriorate?
Secretary Cohen: Well, we have not intervened at all, as a matter of fact. What we have done is supported the UN peacekeeping mission, but we do not plan intervention as such, and have not planned it. We will respond if our people, certainly, are threatened, but we're there essentially to continue our training off the coast. But it's not meant to say that we're willing to intervene. That's not something the United States is planning.
Q: Anything new of the situation in the Philippines near Indonesia? There are rumors that . . .
Secretary Cohen: No, I just heard that Secretary Mercado gave a press interview in which he said that the fighting is ongoing, that I believe some 17 of the terrorist members of that group have been either killed or captured, but no word on any of the hostages and that the fighting continues. That's apparently what he just said.
Q: Thank you.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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