Don Greenlees, Jakarta – Australia is playing down differences with Indonesia over terrorism and human rights as it moves cautiously to rebuild a once-intimate defence relationship shattered during the East Timor crisis in 1999.

On a two-day visit to Jakarta, Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill opened the door to restoring close defence ties, and expressed the hope the two countries' militaries could work "constructively and positively together".

Although agreement on major new activities was avoided in meetings with Indonesian ministers and military commanders, Senator Hill laid some important foundations for future defence co-operation.

For the first time, a group of seven junior Indonesian officers will, next year, enrol as undergraduates at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. Work is also going ahead on new intelligence-sharing arrangements and the possibility of maritime surveillance exercises.

But along with the promise of a slow recovery in defence relations, Senator Hill was careful to avoid arousing Indonesian sensitivities over the conduct of human rights trials for abuses committed in East Timor and its performance in combating terrorism.

Senator Hill said he had been reassured by statements from Indonesian ministers that the Government was determined to pursue justice in relation to the murders, plunder and arson committed in East Timor by Indonesian security forces and militias as they departed.

"On the issue of human rights, our position is well known on the basis of our culture and our political philosophy and Indonesia is aware of our views on that subject," he told reporters. "We are pleased that the administration and the leadership within this country would seem to be putting a greater emphasis on the importance of human rights."

He said Australia was looking for an "appropriate response" from the Indonesian courts over the crimes in East Timor, but would not try to impose a benchmark for what amounted to a successful outcome from the judicial process.

On terrorism, Senator Hill also avoided criticism of Indonesia's performance. He said all countries, including Indonesia, had to play a role in fighting terrorism.

But in contrast to comments he made in Singapore a week ago that Indonesia needed to do more to overcome terrorism, Senator Hill said Indonesia took the issue seriously, after the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding with Australia on joint anti-terrorism activities.

Senator Hill's meetings in Jakarta included the chief minister for Political and Security Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Defence Minister, Matori Abdul Jalil, and the Armed Forces Commander, Admiral Widodo Adisucipto.

An Indonesian militia man yesterday was sentenced to six years' jail for the murder of New Zealand peacekeeper private Leonard Manning in East Timor nearly two years ago. Jacobus Bere, 37, was found guilty in the Jakarta Central District Court by a panel of three judges.

Manning, 24, became the first peacekeeper serving in East Timor to be killed in combat when he was shot dead while on border patrol near the southern town of Suai in July 2000.