Alatas denies ban on Roeslan speech in the Netherlands<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas denied
\nyesterday that the Indonesian embassy in The Hague has prevented
\nsenior statesman Roeslan Abdulgani from making a public speech
\nbefore Indonesian students in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Alatas told reporters yesterday that Roeslan had gone to the
\nNetherlands on a mission from President Soeharto and it was
\nunlikely that the embassy would bar him from making the speech.<\/p>\n
\"It is unlikely that the embassy deliberately ignored Pak
\nRoeslan. The ambassador (in the Netherlands) has a duty there and
\ncannot let personal matters affect his job.<\/p>\n
\"I think this is simply a case of miscommunication or
\nmisunderstanding. I have also contacted the ambassador, and I
\nhope this matter could be cleared soon,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Let's not blow this issue out of proportion,\" Alatas told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Roeslan, whose previous public offices include foreign
\nminister in 1956-1957 and chief adviser to President Soeharto on
\nideological matters, has gone public about the mishap that befell
\nhim in the Netherlands last week.<\/p>\n
He said he had been asked to cancel the speaking engagement in
\nThe Hague because it did not have the approval of the embassy.<\/p>\n
He said no one from the embassy met him when he was in the
\nNetherlands. In contrast, he was met by embassy officials during
\nhis stops in Paris and London, two other capitals that he visited
\nduring his recent European tour.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's ambassador to the Netherlands, J.B. Soedarmanto
\nKadarisman, denied that he issued a ban against Roeslan and said
\nthe embassy had tried to relocate the venue of the gathering
\nbecause the original site, a mosque, was considered too small.<\/p>\n
A few days earlier, Soedarmanto met with Roeslan in London,
\nwhen they were attending a meeting of Indonesian student leaders
\nin Europe.<\/p>\n
Alatas later yesterday afternoon left for Beijing for a three-
\nday official visit in response to an invitation from his Chinese
\ncounterpart Qian Qichen.<\/p>\n
The visit comes on the heels of the disclosure that Indonesia
\nhad sent a diplomatic note to Beijing querying an official
\nBeijing map which puts Indonesia's Natuna islands in the South
\nChina Sea within dotted lines, making it appear that the islands
\ncome under Chinese sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Beijing has not formally responded to the note but an official
\nof the Chinese foreign ministry early this month said China was
\nprepared to negotiate over the question of border delineation in
\nthe South China Sea with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The Chinese gesture was quickly rejected by Indonesia, with
\nAlatas saying that Indonesia had no border dispute with China.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he plans to discuss the border issue, Alatas
\nyesterday said: \"Not specifically. Of course we will sit down
\ntogether and discuss various issues, everything that can be
\ndiscussed, including the matter in the South China Sea. But it
\nwill not be a specific issue or a negotiation.<\/p>\n
\"On this issue, Indonesia's position is clear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alatas said he would raise the issue of Chinese plans to
\ncontinue with nuclear testing, especially in view of the
\ncomprehensive test ban treaty, which China also signed. (emb\/mds)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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