Lee Siew Hua, Washington – US President George W. Bush's administration is seeking congressional support to restore a modest level of contact with the Indonesian military, as part of its overall policy review of a nation important to Asian stability.

The proposals are "quite modest", Mr Tim Rieser, foreign-policy aide to Senator Patrick Leahy told The Straits Times.

Officials have made the case to Congress in recent briefings that the US wants to keep certain channels open to Indonesia's armed forces (TNI) – viewed as a unifying national institution amid the country's tumult – without resuming full contact.

They said the US would conduct only non-lethal training, and observed that the US had cut off even minimal contacts that were of value. An example would be training for humanitarian missions.

Mr Ralph "Skip" Boyce, who will become the US' next ambassador to Jakarta, has assured members of Congress that he will personally vet every Indonesian participant in future bilateral contacts, to make sure they have not been involved in atrocities, or condoned them.

In particular, Senator Leahy's views will influence any move towards better ties with TNI. He sponsored the 1999 Leahy Amendment, which banned US military sales and training to Indonesia until the armed forces enact reforms – including holding accountable those military elements involved in East Timor abuses.

Mr Rieser said the senator did not view contact with the TNI as a bad move, depending on the nature of the message that the administration would send. He said: "The message, as I understand it, is that we will have these contacts to support reform of the Indonesian military. If the military is not willing to reform, then these contacts would end."

One official emphasised to The Straits Times that there had not been regular, close relations with the TNI for some time, and that a fuller resumption of ties was not anticipated soon.

However, there have been fresh discussions within the US administration at the Deputy Secretary level. US officials have also visited Capitol Hill to discuss the appropriate level of contact with the TNI, while keeping in mind that the Leahy Amendment circumscribes contact. They do not want to signal wrongly that it is business as usual with the armed forces.

An Indonesian diplomat was pleased with the discussions stirring in Washington. He said: "As long as people are deliberating, then there can be progress. The problem is not only between Indonesia and the US, but also between groups in the US.

"Meanwhile, let's have cooperation on things that are not too controversial, like training the police, or having Indonesian observers at exercises. That will serve as a step-by-step normalisation of full cooperation."

The Council on Foreign Relations is releasing a report on US policy towards South-east Asia. It concludes: "The US must cease hectoring Jakarta and instead do its utmost to help stabilise Indonesia's democracy and its economy, as well as re-engage with Indonesia's military."

Council member Robert Manning told The Straits Times: "With separatist activities going on, the military seems, by default, to be the most important political element." The US has more chance to influence Indonesia, and the outlook for Asian stability, if there was more dialogue, he said.