Indonesia-Netherlands forum set up<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and the Netherlands, whose relations
\nhit rock bottom in 1992 when Indonesia barred Dutch development
\naid, yesterday launched a non-government forum to improve ties.<\/p>\n
Despite the warming relationship, however, senior officials of
\nthe two countries have ruled out a revival of official aid
\ncooperation.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Economy and Finance, Saleh Afiff,
\nsaid that the Indonesian government continued to reject official
\naid from the Netherlands and that it had no plans to resume the
\nstalled aid program.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is not necessary right now ... as talking about
\nthe aid program could just spoil the warming relations,\" he told
\nnewsmen after he officially launched the Indonesia-Netherlands
\nForum, a non-government forum established by retired senior
\nofficials and prominent businessmen.<\/p>\n
The forum's Dutch counterpart, the Netherlands-Indonesia
\nForum, was launched simultaneously yesterday in The Hague, with
\nformer government minister Piet Bukman as one of its senior
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian half of the forum is chaired by Frans Seda, a
\nnoted businessman and former government minister. Its members are
\nmostly Dutch-educated businessmen. Former senior ministers Radius
\nPrawiro and Emil Salim are members of the forum's advisory board.<\/p>\n
Afiff said that the trend in relations between Indonesia and
\nthe Netherlands was very encouraging, with trade and investment
\ncooperation growing despite the unresolved aid issue.<\/p>\n
\"So don't damage the relationship by raising such a sensitive
\nissue,\" he reprimanded journalists in response to a mention of
\nthe possibility of initiating negotiations to re-establish
\nbilateral aid cooperation.<\/p>\n
Indonesia expelled Dutch development aid programs in March
\n1992, claiming that the financial assistance had been used by the
\nNetherlands as a means of political intimidation against
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The rejection of the financial aid led to the suspension of
\nthe Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI), the Dutch-
\nchaired donor agency consisting of major industrialized nations
\nand financial institutions.<\/p>\n
CGI<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government in cooperation with the World Bank
\nestablished the Consultative Group for Indonesia (CGI) in July
\n1992 to replace the IGGI.<\/p>\n
Paul R. Brouwer, the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia, shared
\nAfiff's view that the stalled aid cooperation no longer posed an
\nobstacle to the improvement of bilateral relations.<\/p>\n
\"The relations between the two countries have been
\nflourishing. The trade has spectacularly increased,\" he said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
The ambassador said his country would not be joining the new
\ndonor group, notwithstanding the improvement in bilateral
\nrelations.<\/p>\n
\"I think the situation is very clear...that we are not
\nparticipating in the CGI and there is no more development aid
\ncooperation between the two countries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rudini, a former home affairs minister and armed forces chief,
\nsaid that the development aid program provided by the Dutch
\nthrough the IGGI had been the most effective one since it was not
\nlimited to the development of the industrial sector but also
\nsought to directly improve the lives of the people in rural
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Addressing a symposium on Indonesian-Dutch relations, held
\nbefore the launching of the forum, Rudini said that the World
\nBank-chaired CGI should adopt the Dutch approach to the provision
\nof development aid to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He stopped short of suggesting that the Indonesian government
\ninitiate negotiations to revive aid cooperation, however.<\/p>\n
Speakers at the symposium on Indonesia-Dutch relations
\nincluded a number of former senior ministers -- Prawiro, Emil and
\nSeda -- and noted businessman Tanri Abeng.<\/p>\n
The speakers, most of whom were educated in the Netherlands,
\ngenerally considered that the Dutch people had done more for
\nIndonesia than other nations, and that this was attributable to
\ntheir greater understanding and stronger commitment.(hen)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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