Speaking on the sidelines of an international security conference in Singapore Mr Rumsfeld said there was no guarantee that the Indonesian military would change its ways.
But he said having a relationship with America and other democratic countries would be a positive influence on the Indonesian military.
The United States Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has defended America's resumption of military relations with Jakarta, saying it was likely to have a healthy influence on the Indonesian military.
The US restored full military relations in November, lifting restrictions imposed in 1991 in response to human rights abuses by the Indonesian military during a bloody crackdown in East Timor.
Speaking on the sidelines of an international security conference in Singapore Mr Rumsfeld said there was no guarantee that the Indonesian military would change its ways.
But he said having a relationship with America and other democratic countries would be a positive influence on the Indonesian military.
Australia's Defence Minister Brendan Nelson is also attending the conference and says the reform of the Indonesian military is progressing, in order to fight the common enemy of terrorism.
