Indonesia remains among Japan's most important partners<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Japanese government continues to regard
\nIndonesia as one of its most important partners in Asia despite
\nits increasing attention for China, a senior Japanese diplomat
\nsaid here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia remains at the top of our foreign policy priorities
\nin spite of our strengthening and expanding relationships with
\nChina,\" Koichiro Matsuura, a former deputy minister of foreign
\naffairs, reaffirmed yesterday.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the surge of Japanese investments in
\nChina in recent years, Matsuura added that Japan's Indonesian
\npolicy would not change, no matter who became the new prime
\nminister to replace Morihiro Hosokawa.<\/p>\n
More and more Japanese companies are diverting investments
\naway from Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, to
\nChina. With Japan mired in their third consecutive year of
\neconomic recession, businessmen in this region are worried that
\nJapan might have discovered a new favorite partner.<\/p>\n
\"One reflection of our policy is the fact that Indonesia and
\nChina are the largest recipients of official development
\nassistance from Japan,\" Matsuura noted.<\/p>\n
The Japanese government provides about 30 percent of the
\nnearly US$5 billion in assistance that the Indonesian government
\nreceives annually from its creditors (Consultative Group on
\nIndonesia).<\/p>\n
Matsuura added, however, that it is different with regard to
\nthe private sector because businessmen will go anywhere that
\noffers the best business opportunities.<\/p>\n
He argued, nonetheless, that despite the surge in Japanese
\ninvestments in China, Japanese businessmen are still and will
\nremain heavily involved in the Southeast Asian economy.<\/p>\n
Hosokawa<\/p>\n
Matsuura said that Prime Minister Hosokawa's recent
\nresignation would not affect Japan's relationships with Indonesia
\nbecause the resignation had nothing to do with Japan's foreign
\npolicy but was caused by domestic problems.<\/p>\n
Referring to Japan's foreign aid policy, Matsuura said the
\nimplementation of its official development assistance (ODA) would
\ncontinue to be based on the principles which were adopted in
\n1992.<\/p>\n
\"We need to implement those principles, called the ODA
\nCharter, as our account of responsibility to the taxpayers
\n(people) who finance the ODA program,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The principles are related to the adopting a policy of
\nenvironmental protection, avoidance of the use of aid for
\nmilitary purposes, excessive production of weapons of mass
\ndestruction, the development of democracy and market economy and
\nthe protection of human rights.<\/p>\n
The principles, he added, reflect the subjects of greatest
\nconcern to the Japanese people.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, we should address that concern in order to
\nmaintain public support for our foreign aid program,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"But we don't want to impose those principles as conditions to
\nour aid because the recipients of our assistance are sovereign
\nnations,\" Matsuura said.<\/p>\n
According to him, there are many ways of implementing the ODA
\nCharter without giving the impression of pressuring aid
\nrecipients to honor those principles.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government decided to stop accepting official
\nassistance from the Dutch government in 1992 after they imposed
\nan improvement in human rights as a condition to their aid. (vin)<\/p>",
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