JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian army on Friday warned that the showdown between the country's first democratically elected president and a defiant ex-military chief was becoming dangerous, but it ruled out a coup.
General Wiranto has refused to bow to President Abdurrahman Wahid's demand he quit the Cabinet after being named in a report on last year's atrocities in East Timor when he was armed forces commander.
"In principle, the situation is getting more dangerous and uncertain," the official news agency Antara quoted army chief of staff General Tyasno Sudarto as telling reporters.
He said the military as an institution would not launch a coup though he added he could not supervise each officer.
A defiant Wiranto appears ready to hang on to his post as coordinating minister for political and security affairs until Wahid returns from an overseas tour on Feb. 13, triggering fears of a coup.
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said earlier he had formally asked Wiranto to comply with Wahid's order to quit, adding the general had not replied.
"We have agreed to wait until the president returns," Juwono said, without explaining. "I urge everyone to be patient."
But military spokesman Air Vice-Marshall Graito Usodo played down coup fears.
"I don't think it's dangerous," he told. "In fact, I can give you a guarantee that while (Wahid) is away, there will no be coup or any sort of trouble.
"The TNI (Indonesia's military) as an institution or as individuals will not launch a coup. I can assure you of that," he said.
A face-to-face showdown is likely to be damaging to Wahid — currently in Germany — as he tries to cement his own fragile position and keep the lid on a fractious military angry at efforts to get it out of politics and back into the barracks.
"It's not that he can't fire Wiranto, but he doesn't want to expend political capital," said political analyst Wimar Witoelar.