Singapore – It would be easier to fight terrorists in Indonesia if the US resumed normal military ties with the country, the chief of the US Pacific Command said Tuesday.

Adm. Dennis Blair told reporters in Singapore that Indonesia would first have to raise the standards of its military, which has a reputation for brutality. However, he added that he believes the military is making progress on human rights issues.

The US banned military assistance to Indonesia to punish it for its role in the devastation of East Timor after residents of the former Indonesian territory voted for independence in a UN-supervised referendum in 1999. Human rights groups have criticized recent discussions within the Bush administration about reestablishing relations with the Indonesian military.

While Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines have arrested dozens of suspected terrorists in recent weeks, many in the region see Indonesia as a weak link because of its failure to arrest militants with suspected links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.

Blair said he believes the US and Indonesia can improve their cooperation in intelligence gathering and other areas but that even more is needed. "There are modest things that we can do now, but certainly we could be much more effective if we had a fuller relationship which we do hope would be available as the Indonesian armed forces make progress," he said.

Blair said Indonesia doesn't have the resources to eradicate sea pirates or illegal immigrants let alone terrorists.

Blair said he can't confirm reports this week which quoted Indonesia's foreign minister as saying the US offered Indonesia $10 million to train police to combat terrorism. Indonesia's police are now separate from the military.