Greg Torode, Washington – President Abdurrahman Wahid may have sought to cosy back up to the United States during his mission over the past three days, but Washington will be "sleeping with one eye open" in the months ahead, officials said. The Indonesian President, on his way home from the US, arrived in Tokyo yesterday for a two-day visit for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and other top officials.

Mr Wahid and his new Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab sought to boost relations with the US in a meeting with President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. But they spelt out in "no uncertain terms" Jakarta's fresh desire for Eastern rather than Western ties.

Mr Wahid elaborated on his ideas for a new Asian axis between Indonesia, India and China – with Japanese and Singaporean assistance – after years of a perceived over-dominance by the West.

Speaking privately, some Clinton administration officials warned that Mr Wahid's new ideas would be watched extremely closely in the coming months, especially if they appeared to have considerable popular support inside Indonesia.

"We would not want to see anything developing that could be seen as destabilising after such a very delicate period ... but if it restores a balance and order to the region, there are no problems with it from this end," one administration source said yesterday. "This is something very new ... at this stage we must keep a wary eye on developments."

Officially, State Department spokesmen were taking a more upbeat line, saying Mr Wahid had outlined a firm desire not only for closer ties with his Asian counterparts, but also new links to Israel and the rest of the Middle East and the West.

"We welcome his foreign policy ... we don't think it should conflict in any way with our mutual desires for a close and constructive bilateral relationship," a spokesman said.

More generally, President Clinton outlined Washington's priorities as a desire to see a stable and prosperous Indonesia based on the "consolidation and re-affirmation" of democracy as well as economic recovery.

He also pinned any restoration of military co-operation – already reduced then finally severed during the East Timor crisis – on the safe return of refugees from West Timor as well as "credible steps" towards military reform and accountability for abuses.

The nearly blind Mr Wahid had been receiving treatment from eye specialists in Salt Lake City, Utah, over the weekend.