Government denies magazine report<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi
\nShihab dismissed on Thursday a media report which claimed that
\nPresident Abdurrahman had been asked by Malaysia to mediate in
\nthe establishment of ties between Kuala Lumpur and Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n
Alwi decried as baseless a report in the Hong Kong-based Far
\nEastern Economic Review magazine which in its Dec. 9 edition
\nstated that Abdurrahman told journalists traveling with him in
\nthe Middle East last month that Malaysia would like Indonesia to
\nmediate between itself and Israel.<\/p>\n
"The report was baseless ... I joined the meeting between the
\ntwo leaders and the topic of Israel was not raised during the
\nproductive talks," Alwi told journalists.<\/p>\n
The report cited Abdurrahman as saying that Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Muhammad had asked the Indonesian president to
\nhelp foster closer relations.<\/p>\n
Alwi said the report had raised many questions.<\/p>\n
Many questioned whether the president was purposely misquoted
\nor whether the reporter merely misinterpret the president, Alwi
\nsaid, noting that his aides planned to track down the journalist
\nwho wrote the article and ask for an explanation.<\/p>\n
Alwi reiterated that Abdurrahman had never made such a
\nstatement during his visits abroad.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, the foreign ministry sent an official
\nletter to the Malaysian ambassador explaining the situation.<\/p>\n
Alwi claimed that Malaysian Ambassador Rastam Muhammad Isa
\nresponded positively to the explanation.<\/p>\n
He underlined that Indonesia considered Malaysia a very
\nimportant neighbor, and that Jakarta would reject any effort to
\ndamage the close ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n
This is the second time that published comments by Abdurrahman
\nhas risen eyebrows from Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Recently Abdurrahman quipped that it was difficult to find top
\nministers in Malaysia because they were always on the golf
\ncourse. (04)<\/p>",
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