US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has underlined the need for reform of Indonesia's military after a report blamed the country for gross human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999.
Dr Rice flew into Perth last night amid heavy security for a two-day visit to Australia as a guest of Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith.
Mr Smith accompanied Dr Rice on the flight from Singapore after the pair attended a meeting this week of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
Dr Rice said at the summit the United States would continue military-to-military contact with Indonesia despite its recent acceptance of a report saying it was responsible for abuses amounting to crimes against humanity during East Timor's independence vote. She was content with Indonesia's response to the report, even though Indonesia had rejected calls for criminal prosecutions and none of its generals have been punished for their role in the violence.
"The recommendations of the commission I am sure will be implemented and both governments will find a means to make certain that justice is done," she said.
She was referring to the issuing of a long-awaited truth and friendship commission report this month that said the Indonesian military was responsible for violence that killed about 1400 people in East Timor in 1999.
The report, which named no perpetrators and made no recommendation for prosecutions, was jointly written by East Timorese and Indonesian officials and was immediately accepted by the governments of both countries.
Dr Rice said she believed the US-Indonesian military-to-military contacts, suspended after the violence and resumed more than three years ago, were useful to promote reform of the Indonesian armed forces.
"This is a good democratic Government that has a strong record of wanting to work and be responsive on human rights issues," she said of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration.
"We've known for a long time there are concerns about reform in the military, need for reform in the military. The United States has been active in helping and encouraging that agenda with Indonesia. We're going to continue to work closely with the Indonesian Government, we will help in any way that we can."
Mr Smith says he wants Dr Rice to have a relaxed visit while he shows her his state's culture and hospitality.
The pair descended the aircraft stairs to be met on the tarmac by West Australian senator and Immigration Minister Chris Evans, WA Premier Alan Carpenter and the American ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum.
They were driven to the University of Western Australia for a traditional Aboriginal welcome and a dinner hosted by Mr Carpenter. Dr Rice's official functions begin today with a visit to Perth's Mercedes College, during which an entire city block will be closed to traffic.
She will then make a private visit to the SAS Barracks at Swanbourne. From there, Dr Rice will be driven to Perth's Kings Park for wreath-laying at the cenotaph. She will then fly to New Zealand.
Mr Smith said Australia was looking positively at a US-Indian civilian nuclear energy deal despite its policy of refusing to export uranium to India. He said Australia would have to decide whether to support it, possibly by mid-August, now the deal had survived in the Indian parliament.