TNI chief says more equal terms needed in cooperation with Namru 2

Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Gen Djoko Santoso said the US Navy`s medical research laboratory Namru-2 should be allowed to continue operating in Indonesia only if the terms in the relevant agreement were made more equal for the two countries.

Speaking at a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I (defense, foreign affairs) here Wednesday, Santoso said one of the inequalities in the present agreement was the fact that the US was represented in Namru-2 by its navy whereas the Indonesian navy was not involved in it at all.

"If the terms were equal for the two countries, the US Navy should have the TNI or the Indonesian Navy as its counterpart in Namru-2," he said.

He said so far, all that the TNI knew about Namru-2 was that it was engaged in research. However, it was possible the research results such as biological samples in the form of viruses from Indonesia, were ultimately used for medical as well as military purposes.

Since 1996, the TNI headquarters had stopped receiving official reports on Namru-2 activities either from Namru-2 itself or from the Indonesian health ministry. he said.

Another thing which was making it more difficult for Indonesia to watch over Namru-2`s operations was the change in its status from detachment to command, Santoso said.

In addition, the diplomatic status given to the 23 US nationals in Namru-2 was enabling them to bring in or ...