Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States should rebuild military ties with Indonesia. 

Mr. Rumsfeld, speaking in Washington after talks with Indonesia's Defense Minister, Matori Abdul Djalil, said the Southeast Asian nation is an important moderate Muslim state and Congress should ease military restrictions. 

Relations were suspended in 1999 over Jakarta's role in human rights violations in East Timor. Mr. Rumsfeld says the Indonesian government has been working to improve its human rights record. 

Mr. Matori told reporters his government has undertaken reforms in the military and has begun to put alleged human rights violators on trial. 

Washington and Jakarta began taking preliminary steps to rebuild ties in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The United States has expressed concern that terrorist cells could be operating in Indonesia. Despite the apparent eagerness of both sides to restore military relations, the Indonesian Defense Minister says there is no need for U.S. troops to be based in his country as part of counter-terrorism efforts. 

Mr. Matori says Indonesian security forces are capable of dealing with any terrorist problem. 

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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