Gus Dur's move for reconciliation well received<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Major political parties welcomed on Sunday
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid's invitation to a reconciliatory
\nmeeting, but asserted that they would not renege on agenda set
\nfor the special session of People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
More specifically, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said
\nAbdurrahman should not use the meeting to interfere in the
\nparties' plan to decide on a decree on the delegation of power
\nfrom the President to Vice President during the Assembly session,
\nscheduled to begin on Aug. 1.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar is ready to meet and communicate (with the President).
\nWe will attend even though the invitation came from the
\nPresident's ministers,\" Akbar said on Sunday at the Soekarno-
\nHatta International Airport here upon arrival from Padang, West
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
\"However, all kinds of political compromise should be made in
\nthe special session.<\/p>\n
\"We need Gus Dur's guarantee that he will not interfere with
\nthe Assembly's plan to issue a decree on the delegation of
\npower,\" Akbar said, referring to the President by his nickname.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said after chairing a weekly meeting of his own
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) here on Saturday that he would
\ninvite all political party leaders to a meeting sometime in the
\nfirst week of July.<\/p>\n
Secretary of the PKB Advisory Council Arifin Djunaedi said
\nthat Abdurrahman expected to reach a comprise with his political
\nfoes during the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"It is expected to become a further constitutional mechanism
\nto solve the current political deadlock outside of the Assembly's
\nspecial session,\" Arifin said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman had earlier proposed such a meeting, but was met
\nwith negative responses because its purpose was unclear.<\/p>\n
Arifin said despite the planned talks with party leaders, the
\nPresident did not intend to avoid the special session, \"which is
\npolitically unavoidable.\"<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur is optimistic that all party leaders, including Vice
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri, will respond positively to the
\ninvitation,\" Arifin said reporters. Megawati is also the
\nchairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan).<\/p>\n
Arifin also gave an assurance that Gus Dur would rule out any
\nhorse-trading in the compromise.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur had earlier said that he would declare a state of
\nemergency as a last resort to secure his presidency, if a
\ncompromise or honorable solution for both him and the House of
\nRepresentatives could not be reached.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan, Golkar, United Development Party (PPP),
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB),
\nhave planned a similar meeting two weeks ahead of the special
\nsession.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan Deputy Chairman Roy B. Janis said on Sunday
\nthat Megawati would attend if the meeting had a clear agenda to
\nsolve the political stalemate.<\/p>\n
\"As long as it is held for the country's sake and not for that
\nof a certain political group, it is beneficial for party leaders
\nto attend such a meeting,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
Roy also underscored that the President's invitation will not
\nhamper the party's plan to hold a similar meeting two weeks
\nbefore the special session commences.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, political observer Riswandha Imawan suggested
\nthat political leaders in Jakarta take a declaration signed by
\neight governors in a meeting on Friday night into consideration.<\/p>\n
Riswandha said the declaration reflected the voice of the
\nsilent majority, who had been affected most by the ongoing
\nconflict among the political elite.<\/p>\n
\"This also reflects the people's reaction to the political
\nconflicts that have caused disharmony among the people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Governors of all provinces in Lampung, Bali and Java, with the
\nexception of East Java, agreed on Friday on a concerted move to
\nprevent chaos ahead of the Assembly special session next month.
\nAlso witnessing the declaration were provincial military and
\npolice chiefs overseeing Java, Bali and Lampung. (44\/tso\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-durs-move-for-reconciliation-well-received-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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