Indonesian defense minister reiterated Sunday that March 26 is not a deadline for foreign troops involved in the relief effort to get out of the country.

"We would like to emphasize that March 26 is not a deadline for involvement of foreign military personnel in the relief effort," Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said after a meeting with US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

"It is a benchmark for the Indonesian government to improve and accelerate its relief efforts so that by March 26 the large part of the burden of the relief effort will be carried by the Indonesian government and Indonesian authorities," he said.

Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla last Wednesday asked foreign troops to pull out of Aceh by March 26.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, who is on a two-day visit here, said that the United States was willing to pull out troops from the tsunami-hit Aceh province as soon as they complete their rescue mission.

The minister also said Jakarta would like to improve military relations with the United States.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2005)