The Indonesian government asserted Friday it has issued a ruling that bans foreigners from adopting Aceh children orphaned in the Dec. 26 tsunami.

"The government has issued a ruling that bans Aceh children from being taken out," Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said in a regular press conference.

He made the remarks over report that US-based WorldHelp foundation has been granted license from Indonesia to take custody of some 300 Aceh children.

"The report is baseless ... We have asked the Indonesian embassy in Washington to tell WorldHelp to retract a statement saying that the Indonesian government has given approval (of the adoption)," said Marty.

Another ministry spokesman, Yuri Thamrin, added that according to the country's constitution, the government holds the responsibility for taking care of orphans.

The government will put the children in state orphan houses.

Local news reports said that the tsunami affected some 200,000 Aceh children, who were either killed, injured or orphaned in the disaster.

An estimate says that more than one third of over 106,000 people killed by tsunami in Aceh were children.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2005)