Informality colors Bogor APEC meet<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Yesterday's meeting of APEC leaders in
\nBogor may have won the prize as the most formal of informal
\nmeetings of all time.<\/p>\n
All the leaders, which includes some of the world's most
\npowerful like the United States, Japan and China, came in batik
\nshirts, provided by the host nation. That's informal.<\/p>\n
Normal state protocol accorded to visiting heads of government
\nor heads of state was absent when they arrived at the Bogor
\nPresidential Palace. That's also informal.<\/p>\n
The leaders were also addressed not as presidents or prime
\nministers, but as leaders of their respective economies. That's
\nalso informal.<\/p>\n
And the leaders were not accompanied by their ministers. Only
\none aide and an interpreter. That could be considered informal.<\/p>\n
And finally, the lunch (Indonesian rice-menu) and the guided
\ntour by host Soeharto around the Bogor palace's garden and to the
\nartificial pond, adds another touch of informality.<\/p>\n
But there was nothing informal about the arrangements and
\npreparations for the meeting.<\/p>\n
The host committee, headed by Minister\/State Secretary
\nMoerdiono, had gone all out to ensure that the meeting, despite
\nits informality, proceeded smoothly.<\/p>\n
Given that there are 17 leaders plus host Soeharto of
\nIndonesia gathering for the meeting, the preparations that went
\ninto it were more elaborate compared to preparing for an official
\nstate visit by one leader.<\/p>\n
The arrival of the 17 leaders at the footsteps of the white
\ncolonial building in the palace exemplified how meticulous the
\norganizers were when it came to details, something which
\nMoerdiono is well known for. He was in Bogor yesterday,
\npresumably not in his capacity as minister but as the head of the
\nnational host committee.<\/p>\n
Equally meticulous was the departure of the leaders from eight
\ndifferent hotels in Jakarta, and how the 17 motorcades proceeded
\nthrough the Jagorawi toll road on their way to Bogor.<\/p>\n
The arrival was kept to schedule when Australia's Paul
\nKeating, the first on the schedule, came at 9 a.m..<\/p>\n
APEC chairman Soeharto was on hand to greet him. Then the
\nother leaders all arrived at two-minute intervals.<\/p>\n
Their arrival was arranged in alphabetical, country order.
\nAfter Keating came Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and then Canada's
\nJean Chretien, Chile's Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, China's Jiang
\nZemin, Hong Kong's Hamish MacLeod, Japan's Tomiichi Murayama,
\nSouth Korean's Kim Young-sam, Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad,
\nMexico's Carlos Salinas de Gortari, New Zealand's Jim Bolger,
\nPapua New Guinea's Julius Chan, Philippine's Fidel Ramos,
\nSingapore's Goh Chok Tong, Chinese Taipei's Vincent Siew and
\nThailand's Chuan Leekpai.<\/p>\n
The last to arrive was United States' Bill Clinton. It was
\njust as well because he took seven minutes more than the others,
\nbecause of the longer motorcade, and apparently for security
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
The motorcade of the other leaders consisted of five cars,
\nClinton's was 13, including an ambulance. Also Clinton did not
\nride in the specially provided Mercedes limousines like the other
\nleaders. He came in a limousine flown in from Washington. His
\nmotorcade also included cars carrying U.S. security agents.<\/p>\n
The extra few minutes Clinton took had already been
\nanticipated by the host committee.<\/p>\n
The other leaders were waiting in the Teratai room, getting
\nbetter acquainted, some comparing notes about the batik silk
\nshirts they were wearing, others admiring the architecture and
\nthe interior of the palace.<\/p>\n
When Clinton did arrive, Soeharto walked up the flight of
\nstairs and into the room with him.<\/p>\n
Most of the leaders also carried a briefcase or portfolio,
\nsignaling that they meant business at the informal meeting.<\/p>\n
After the two photo sessions, one behind the palace and
\nanother in the Garuda Room before the meeting began, the leaders
\ngot down to business. Behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
What and how the discussion proceeded may not be known for
\nsometime because there were no officials present, only
\ninterpreters.<\/p>\n
The only thing known for sure is the outcome of the meeting
\nand the U-shape seating arrangements in the Garuda Room.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was flanked by Clinton and Murayama, while Mahathir,
\nwho turned down Clinton's invitation to attend the first APEC
\nleaders meeting in Seattle last year, was seated next to the
\nAmerican president.<\/p>\n
The arrangement was not by design.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was placed between the former APEC chairman (Clinton)
\nand his would be predecessor (Murayama). The three sat in the
\ncenter while the others were arranged in alphabetical order,
\nstarting with Australia from the left. That Mahathir was next to
\nClinton was purely by chance, although it has a deep political
\nsignificance.<\/p>\n
And that Soeharto was flanked by the two most powerful leaders
\nwas also by chance although people could read into this many
\nmeanings. (emb\/mds)<\/p>",
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