Sec. Rice Visits Indonesia

From The BBC:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Indonesia for talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Ahead of her first official visit there, she said Indonesia had made “giant strides” after 32 years of President Suharto’s autocratic rule.

Washington is seeking closer ties with the world’s most populous Muslim state, analysts say.

Last year the US lifted a six-year arms embargo and re-established other military relations.

“This is a state that has really made giant strides over the last several years and the United States has been able to significantly change the nature of the relationship,” Ms Rice said on her way to Indonesia.

The move came as a reward for Indonesia’s help in anti-terror operations.

“The military is an important institution in Indonesia,” Ms Rice said on Monday.

“It’s by no means completely made its reform, but we believe those reforms are underway and that we can have a more positive effect on the reforms by being part of it.”

Her first visit to Indonesia will include a speech on democracy in the Islamic world and the similarities between Indonesia and the US. She will also visit an Islamic school.

“You want to be careful not to cut off contacts with the very people who are going to be important for the restoration of democracy,” she said.

I think it is a good idea to re-open cooperation, but we had better be careful and keep our eyes open.