Habibie not to attend NAM summit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has decided not to attend
\nthe 12th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) starting next
\nWednesday in Durban, South Africa, to avoid a power vacuum, a
\nminister announced yesterday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said he was ordered by
\nthe President to represent him during the summit, and that he
\nwould convey Habibie's apology to South African President Nelson
\nMandela for his absence.<\/p>\n
\"It is technically very difficult for him (Habibie) to leave
\nthe country because there is no vice president,\" Alatas said
\nafter meeting with Habibie at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Sources said the President was initially very eager to attend
\nthe two-day summit because of Indonesia's outstanding role in the
\n113-member strong movement.<\/p>\n
It would also have been the President's first international
\ndebut since he replaced Soeharto in May.<\/p>\n
\"An overseas trip would cause a power vacuum here, and he also
\nrealizes domestic problems are much more urgent,\" a palace
\nofficial said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Habibie was vice president from March until Soeharto resigned
\non May 21. Since then, the vice presidential post has remained
\nvacant.<\/p>\n
Indonesia hosted the 10th NAM summit in Jakarta in September
\n1992 and chaired the movement until 1995 when it was replaced by
\nColombia.<\/p>\n
At that time, Soeharto proudly invited other developing
\ncountries to send their officials here to study Indonesia's
\nsuccess in developing its economy.<\/p>\n
Currently, Indonesia's foreign debt stands at no less than
\nUS$130 billion. It is seeking to freeze its principal debt
\nrepayments due to a severe economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Despite Habibie's absence, the government plans to submit
\nseveral major proposals at the summit, including an idea to set
\nup a special NAM mission to participate in the Middle East peace
\nprocess, Alatas noted.<\/p>\n
The proposal calls for a ministerial level team, chaired by
\nSouth Africa, to approach key countries, including the U.S.,
\nRussia, Lebanon and Syria, to help solve problems between Israel
\nand its Arab neighbors, especially the Palestinian Authority.<\/p>\n
\"NAM must be more active in the Middle East peace process,
\nwhich is now stalled by Israeli arrogance,\" Alatas remarked.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will also suggest the summit convene a special
\nconference on international cooperation in monetary and financial
\naffairs since Asia's economic crisis could spread to other
\ncontinents without a joint effort to resolve it.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that our proposal will be approved by the
\ninternational community,\" Alatas said. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/habibie-not-to-attend-nam-summit-1447893297",
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