Clinton set to discuss human rights<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): United States President Bill Clinton and
\nIndonesia's President Soeharto will wrestle with human rights and
\nlabor issues when the American head of state makes a one-day
\nstate visit here next week.<\/p>\n
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
\nAffairs, Winston Lord, said yesterday that apart from bilateral
\nissues on economic and security affairs, the issue of rights and
\nfreedoms will also feature in the discussion between the two
\npresidents.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss human rights problems, workers rights
\nproblems,\" Lord said during a live WorldNet dialog beamed from
\nWashington here yesterday evening.<\/p>\n
Lord contended that the decision to raise such issues should
\nnot be surprising since the U.S. remains consistent in its
\napproach towards Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The U.S. has threatened to take stern measures against Jakarta
\nsuch as the suspension of the Generalized System of Preferences
\ntrading rights if Jakarta fails to improve its labor conditions.<\/p>\n
President Clinton, to be accompanied by a large delegation
\nwhich will include Mrs. Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State
\nWarren Christopher, is expected to arrive here on Nov. 13 to
\nbegin the longest visit to Indonesia by any American president.<\/p>\n
In fact, the four-day stay here marks a very rare occurrence
\nsince the U.S. president seldom stays in any one country for more
\nthan two days.<\/p>\n
The initial highlight will be Clinton's attendance at the Asia
\nPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders meeting at
\nthe Bogor Presidential Palace, 60-kilometers south of Jakarta, on
\nNov. 15.<\/p>\n
APEC was established in 1989 and comprises Australia, Brunei,
\nCanada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea,
\nMalaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.<\/p>\n
Following the Bogor meeting Clinton will make a one-day state
\nvisit where he will hold bilateral talks with Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Lord describes Clinton's trip this time as underlining
\nAmerica's great stake in the region in a wide range of interests
\nfrom economic security to promotion of freedom and concern for
\nthe environment.<\/p>\n
Though preferring to stress the various areas of \"positive\"
\ncooperation between Jakarta and Washington, Lord acknowledged
\nthat \"we also have problems in the human rights area.\"<\/p>\n
Nevertheless he noted that the talks will be conducted in a
\nhighly amiable manner.<\/p>\n
\"These are issues consistently discussed with Indonesia in a
\nspirit of friendship and mutual respect,\" he said in an apparent
\nattempt to prevent any contentious debate which could arise in
\nanticipation of Soeharto and Clinton's discussion of these
\nissues.<\/p>\n
The obvious U.S. concern with rights issues in Indonesia was
\npropelled further when Lord praised a neighboring country in
\nsoutheast Asia for its exemplary conduct in this field.<\/p>\n
Interview<\/p>\n
Throughout the hour-long satellite interview, Lord
\nconsistently exalted Soeharto for his leadership in many fields,
\nfrom the economy to regional security to APEC, but not human
\nrights.<\/p>\n
Lord offered a stark contrast when answering a question by a
\npanelist from Manila, lauding the conditions of human rights
\nthere.<\/p>\n
The Philippines, Lord said \"is a model for democratic and
\nhuman rights freedoms.\"<\/p>\n
Commenting further on the specific concerns the U.S. would
\nlikely bring up with Indonesia, Lord cited the recent closure of
\na number of publications and East Timor as among them.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government last June suspended the licenses of
\nthree popular publications for editorial and administrative
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
The East Timor issue has been lingering for nearly two decades
\nsince Jakarta integrated the former Portuguese colony as part of
\nIndonesia in 1976.<\/p>\n
\"We hope our Indonesian friends can make progress on some of
\nthese difficult issues, which are problems not just for us but
\nalso other countries as well,\" Lord remarked.(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/clinton-set-to-discuss-human-rights-1447893297",
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