Washington  - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered her condolences to the family of former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas, the longtime diplomat and admired statesman in Southeast Asia who died Thursday at the age of 76 in Singapore.

"On behalf of the United States, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of former foreign minister Ali Alatas and to the people of Indonesia," Rice said in a statement. "He was a respected statesman, who will be remembered for his efforts to ensure peace and security in Southeast Asia."

Rice credited Alatas with brokering the 1991 Cambodian peace agreement and his effort to promote democracy and human rights after he left office.

He also had to deal with Indonesia's controversial occupation of East Timor and the 1991 crisis that took place when Indonesian troops opened fire and killed 12 pro-independences protestors.

Alatas died in hospital a week after suffering a stroke. (dpa)