Is Indonesia risking the goodwill of foreign governments and aid groups by restricting their movements in Aceh?
YUDHOYONO: We are not restricting them to the point that they cannot properly do their work. What we are trying to do is coordinate, manage and protect them. After all, Aceh is still a conflict area. The safety and security of the international workers is the responsibility of Indonesia. TIME: Why did the government set a March 26 deadline for the departure of foreign troops? YUDHOYONO: Actually, I didn’t set a deadline but rather a timeline. The government needs to have a schedule and also a target for the emergency-relief operations. We have to accelerate the process. We have to make our work more effective in order to achieve significant results in three months. But that doesn’t mean that after three months there won’t be any more emergency-relief efforts. We may still need the personnel, units or equipment of friendly nations to help continue the work. TIME: So the deadline is flexible? YUDHOYONO: If it is really necessary it can be extended, but we hope that within three months we
