Foreign Ministry clarifies<\/p>\n
I wish to refer to Mr. Meidyatama Suryodiningrat's article
\npublished by The Jakarta Post on Jan. 11, 2000, touching on
\nIndonesia's foreign policy under the leadership of President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid which may create some misunderstanding.<\/p>\n
The government of President Abdurrahman Wahid has inherited a
\nvery complex and multifaceted conundrum following 32 years of
\nmanagement that has brought the country into an economic and
\npolitical crisis as well as devastated Indonesia's image abroad.<\/p>\n
The official visits conducted by President Wahid to various
\ncountries in such a relatively expeditious phase are aimed at
\nrevitalizing Indonesia's image before the international community
\nas well as to lure foreign investors' interests in the country
\nwith the hope for generating Indonesia's economic recovery. In
\nturn, the international community's support and commitment in the
\ncountry's economic recovery and territorial integrity prove the
\nsuccess of those visits.<\/p>\n
It is rather unfortunate indeed, that the article published in
\none of Jakarta's leading newspapers had linked Indonesia's
\nforeign policy matters by personally assaulting Foreign Minister
\nAlwi Shihab. For this reason, allow me to clarify the matter in
\ndetail as to provide a more balanced and objective report to the
\nreaders.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Shihab's sudden departure from final media
\nbriefing during the ASEAN post-Ministerial Conference in Bangkok
\nbefore it was officially closed by his Thai counterpart was due
\nto his prior appointment with the Foreign Minister of Canada who
\nfor a certain reason had to return immediately to Canada.
\nFurthermore, the final media briefing was held behind the actual
\nschedule and it was not feasible for Minister Shihab to cancel
\nhis meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister.<\/p>\n
The meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister was important
\nas Minister Shihab was expected to explain the Atambua incident,
\nin which three United Nations' humanitarian workers in Atambua,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara, were killed and it may have grave
\ninternational ramifications to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Those are the facts that needed to be known and understood by
\nthe writer that would hopefully enlighten the readers as well as
\nto avoid further negative imprints. It would be too naive indeed,
\nshould the performance of Indonesia's foreign policy be
\ninfluenced by such an unsubstantiated matter.<\/p>\n
ADIYATWIDI A. ASMADY<\/p>\n
Secretary to the Minister<\/p>\n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-ministry-clarifies-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }