Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice started her two-day visit to Jakarta on Tuesday by meeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and several ministers, against the backdrop of sporadic anti-American rallies across the capital.
In a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in the afternoon, her Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirayuda questioned Washington's proposal for the country to participate in the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiatives (PSI).
U.S. President George W. Bush announced the establishment of the PSI in 2003 that would allow interdiction by the U.S. and its allies in the transporting of suspected weapons of mass destruction on ships and planes.
Hassan underlined Indonesia's concern that the PSI could infringe on sovereignty, especially as two-thirds of Indonesia's territory constitutes sea areas.
""We asked for the location of the initiatives, within the context of multilateral arrangements on weapons of mass destruction, including with other treaties on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons,"" Hassan said following the meeting with Rice.
""We also questioned the connection between the PSI concept and the UN Convention of the Law of the Seas. Participants of the initiatives can interdict ships, so we want to know whether interdiction is only allowed in the ocean or within the Exclusive Economic Zone of a country.""
He added the issue need further discussion to reach a common understanding.
During the joint press briefing after their meeting, Hassan said the U.S. reiterated its support for Indonesia's territorial sovereignty.
On regional issues, Rice commended Yudhoyono's initiative to encourage Myanmar to join the international community and to respect human rights during a visit early this month.
""Great democracies like Indonesia and the United States cannot turn a blind eye to those who still live under oppression,"" she said.
Rice also expressed confidence the U.S., Europeans and other permanent members of the UN Security Council would muster international community support to pressure Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
""I intend to let the diplomacy continue for a while before we determine what the outcome is going to be,"" she said of the issue, now before the Security Council.
""The Iranians have done nothing to demonstrate to the world that it should not be in the Security Council, so I'm quite certain we'll find the appropriate vehicle for expressing the international community's solidarity.""
The United States and its allies say Tehran is hiding ambitions for a nuclear weapon behind a legitimate program to develop nuclear energy, an allegation Iran denies.
Rice, who started her trip with a midday visit to an Islamic school in Central Jakarta, met with Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono and Yudhoyono later in the afternoon.
Hundreds of protesters grouped in the Forum of Muslims staged a rally in front of the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, demanding that Rice not ""patronize"" Indonesia on democracy and human rights issues.
""The Americans and the Westerners have a double standard. These issues have divided Islamic institutions and Muslims,"" the forum's secretary-general, Muhammad al-Khottot, said.
Protesters also demanded the government take control of its natural resources following the decision Monday for U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil to become general manager of the Cepu block. (04) Related articles on Pages 2,3 12
