Washington – The United States has said its arms embargo on Indonesia would remain in place, despite complaints that the measure is tying the Indonesian government's hands as it battles rampant religious violence.

The embargo was mandated by the US Congress last year after the Indonesian military was widely blamed for whipping up a wave of militia violence when East Timor voted for independence.

Indonesia stepped up its campaign to reverse the embargo on Wednesday with an interview in the Washington Post by Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono. Mr Juwono claimed the military was suffering a chronic shortage of spare parts due to the embargo and had been forced to pull back several cargo planes and patrol boats needed in the Malaku islands.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, however, said on Wednesday that the embargo would stand as Indonesia had yet to satisfy a series of conditions imposed by the Congress.