Indonesian House calls for inquiry into US lab

JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Indonesian House of Representatives have moved to establish a special task force to investigate U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 (Namru-2), local press said Tuesday.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the second largest faction in the House, proposed the fact-finding team because of allegations the U.S. laboratory is engaging in espionage and the lack of apparent benefits to Indonesia from their research.

"We propose the House form a task force to investigate the lab to reassure the public that it isn't spying on us and that it really benefits the country," senior PDI-P lawmaker Sidarto Danusubroto was quoted by major newspaper The Jakarta Post as saying.

Sidarto, a member of the House's Commission one on security, defense and foreign affairs, said the team would urge the laboratory to be transparent in its operations.

Lawmaker Hakim Sorimuda Pohan of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party supported the idea, saying Indonesian scientists could take over the work of the laboratory's researchers.

"We will summon the health minister to discuss the issue further. I see no need for the lab to continue operating here," he said.

Indonesia and the United States are now negotiating a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to extend the operation of Namru-2. The previous agreement expired in 2005.

Indonesia offered last week to grant diplomatic immunity to only two U.S. officials at Namru-2 and demanded the laboratory become more transparent.

In a response through its embassy, the United States insisted all 19 of its citizens working at Namru-2 be given diplomatic immunity.

The United States denied the laboratory lacked transparency.

Demands for Namru-2 to be closed down have been mounting in recent weeks.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari reiterated in Semarang on Monday her call for Namru-2 to suspend operations until Indonesia and the United States had concluded the MOU.

"I have demanded there be no more activity in the lab. However, it is still conducting research and receiving specimens from a number of health centers across the country," she said.

The minister said the two countries had failed to agree on six issues, including prohibitions on Namru-2 producing biological weapons, transparency and immunity status for the laboratory's researchers.