Indonesia ready to tackle economic problems: Abdurrahman<\/p>\n
PARIS (Dow Jones): Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid will
\ngive priority to economic matters next year, he told French daily
\nLes Echos in an interview Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"The hardest is behind us,\" he said about political conditions
\nin the country, \"I can assure you that next year, we can devote
\nall our time to the economy.\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he isn't surprised that foreign investors
\nhave deserted the country. He said four conditions must be
\nfulfilled for them to invest in Indonesia: negotiations with
\nseparatist provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya, political stability,
\nreform of administration and respect of the law.<\/p>\n
Commenting on armed forces sent to the Aceh and Irian Jaya
\nregions, Abdurrahman said those will be reduced at the beginning
\nof next year, and provinces will gain more powers. But he
\ndeclined to say which provinces would be autonomous first. \"We
\nwill watch that the regions that are the first to be ready are
\nserved first,\" he said. \"But we have to watch that Parliament
\ndoesn't mess with our plans,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also pleaded with rich Indonesian citizens of
\nChinese origin to invest their money in the country, instead of
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Indonesia's relationship with the International
\nMonetary Fund (IMF), Abdurrahman said the two parties are working
\ntogether, and the relationship is \"very good\".<\/p>\n
\"Nobody is satisfied,\" he said, \"we are not satisfied with the
\nIMF, and they are not satisfied with us, but we work together.\"<\/p>\n
The IMF last week postponed the dispersal of a US$270 million
\nloan to Indonesia because of concern about the slow pace of
\neconomic reform.<\/p>\n
French airports company Aeroports de Paris, or ADP, is a
\ncandidate to buy Jakarta's airport. But Wahid said another
\nforeign company is in the running.<\/p>\n
\"If ADP's competitors win Jakarta airport, the French will get
\nMedan, on Sumatra island,\" he said, \"and if it's the contrary,
\nthe others will get Medan.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-ready-to-tackle-economic-problems-abdurrahman-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}