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TNI Never Issues Statement to Carry out Coup D'etat:Indonesian Military Spokesman
Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI)'s Spokesman Maj Gen (Air Force) Graito Usodo reiterated here Saturday night that TNI has never issued any statement that it would carry out a coup d'etat if President Abdurrahman Wahid issued a decree, Antara News Agency reported Sunday.
"Last Saturday, May 19, the TNI commander met with the president and conveyed TNI's stance, but the substance of its stand is not exposed," Graito said.
Graito was in Lampung province to attend an interactive dialog on the TNI's function and role in the reform era.
During his talk, Graito pointed out that TNI now only deals with defense affairs while the security affair is up to the State Police (Polri).
However, he added, TNI will help the police if there is official requirements from Polri.
"It does not mean that TNI takes a passive stand as it is in accordance with the prevailing law and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)'s decrees," he said.
In reply to remarks from Lampung's leading figure Sutan Syahrir that TNI did not give inputs to the elite group on efforts to settle political conflicts, Graito said TNI should indeed take such a stand as it has become a national agreement.
"We have been trying to prevent the current difficult situation from being worse, and we give first priority to the national interest," he said.
However, he said, if the security condition continues to deteriorate, TNI will ask to help the police safeguard the situation, especially keep the state assets.
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