Canberra – A US defence commander said on Friday that Indonesia must show it had taken steps to reform its military for resumption of aid and arms sales, held back because of concerns of human rights abuse by troops.

Washington revived a small military training programme with Indonesia in February in a sign of thawing defence ties with the world's most populous Muslim nation.

But it maintains a ban on arms sales imposed after troops shot dead dozens of protesters in 1991 in Dili in East Timor, which was then an Indonesian province.

Admiral William Fallon, the US Pacific Commander, said US politicians had serious concerns about the past activities of the Indonesian troops and it was necessary to demonstrate real reform in the military.

"I am working to try to have demonstrated action that I can take back to show some of the political leadership in my country that there has been enough change to merit some infusion of aid," he said.

"People in my country are looking for performance. They want to see deeds in addition to words," Fallon told reporters in Canberra, where he is on a visit for talks with Australian defence chiefs.

But Indonesia's transition to democracy and a visit by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Washington in May have helped thaw relations, he said.

The mood had also improved after the Dec. 26 tsunami, which brought the two militaries together in relief work in the devastated Indonesian province of Aceh. The United States sent a large contingent of naval vessels, helicopters and troops in emergency relief.

Fallon said there was a lot of potential in military ties with Indonesia, which he described as significantly more moderate than many other Islamic nations. "It is an opportunity we have to take advantage of," he said.

Fallon, who has held talks with Yudhoyono and military chiefs in Jakarta, said he would initially look at the sale of non-lethal military supplies, such as spare parts for Indonesian military transport aircraft.