Jakarta – Australia and Indonesia are considering resuming joint military exercises, which Jakarta suspended in 1999 over Canberra's role in East Timor, as part of efforts to counter terrorism, visiting Defence Minister Robert Hill said Thursday.

"In relation to exercises we've had some preliminary discussions as to whether we might look to some maritime surveillance-type exercises," Hill told a press conference. "They had worked quite successfully in the past and it would be possible to translate the exercises into some practical work," he said.

Indonesia was angered by Australia's military intervention in East Timor as the territory was ravaged by pro-Jakarta militia following a vote for independence from Indonesia in August 1999. It unilaterally halted agrements on joint military exercises.

But despite the suspension of defence exercises, Australia and Indonesia continued to have lower-level military relations. "We've continued to maintain communication between military forces in various ways but we haven't had this sort of exercises we had in the past," Hill said.

Hill said officials from Indonesia and Australia had met in the past to try to put the exercise program back in place. He said there might be a need for the two countries' defense forces to work together to fight terrorism.

During a visit by Prime Minister John Howard last month the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on sharing intelligence and cooperating against international terrorism.

Asked if Australia demanded that Indonesia bring those guilty of human rights abuses in East Timor to justice before it could resume full military cooperation, Hill said Canberra had not set "strict prerequisites." "On the issue of human rights our position is well known on the basis of our culture and our political philosophy," he said. "We are pleased that the administration and the ledership within this country would seem to be putting a greater emphasis on the importance of human rights,' he added.

The Australian defence forces have offered a place for Indonesian military cadets in their institutions, Hill said. Hill arrived late Tuesday and is due to leave Friday morning. He has met his Indonesian conterpart Matori Abdul Jalil, top security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda.