The Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) is to join the annual Pacific Area Special Operation Conference for the first time since a military embargo was imposed on the country by the United States in 1998.

On Monday, Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Syaiful Rizal told Antara: "The return of the (Indonesian Military) TNI, in this case Kopassus, to PASOC 2006 is an indication that military cooperation between Indonesia and the United States has gradually improved after the revocation of the embargo in November last year."

This year's PASOC will be held in Hawaii from April 3-8.