US NOT INTERFERING IN INDONESIAN ELECTIONS

Surabaya, July 4 (ANTARA) - US Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R Hume said the US did not interfere in the Indonesian presidential elections scheduled to be held on July 8.

"We are not interfering. We are only monitoring it and this is also upon the request of Indonesia. We will respect whatever the outcome would be," Hume said on the sidelines of an Independence Day commemoration here on Friday evening.

In the company of US consul general in Surabaya, Carryn McCLelland, Hume said that transition or democratic changes had occurred in Indonesia in the past ten years.

"It was all realized by the Indonesian people. If we played a role it was very small, like informal monitoring. Right now we are monitoring the presidential elections informally in Aceh upon the request of the Indonesian government," Hume said.

Hume said US diplomatic staff would also come to Indonesia next week to monitor the implementation of the elections.

"We are just monitoring. We have no worries. We will respect whatever the outcome will be. We have seen Indonesia as a concrete example showing that Islam and democracy could go together," Hume said.

Hume said the regular role of the US in the field of politics was training for women's empowerment in the field of politics.

"Even in the US it is still a long way to go. Out of nine women only two are active in the justice system," Hume said.