Soeharto to open human rights workshop<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will open a national workshop
\non human rights on Monday which will discuss the ratification of
\nexisting conventions and determine the scale of priority in
\nhandling human rights.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday the
\nworkshop will \"direct discussions on human rights towards a more
\npractical and constructive approach...instead of a more political
\napproach.\"<\/p>\n
The three-day workshop, a follow-up of the first one held in
\n1991, will be opened by President Soeharto at Istana Merdeka.<\/p>\n
A number of government and non-government speakers are
\nscheduled to give presentations at the workshop, among them
\noutspoken rights advocate T. Mulya Lubis, political scientist
\nMiriam Budiardjo and legislator Aisyah Amini.<\/p>\n
Notable speakers from abroad will include John Pace from the
\nUN Human Rights Center in Geneva, Brian Burdekin from the
\nAustralian Human Rights Commission and Quisumbing from the United
\nNations Children's Fund (Unicef) regional office.<\/p>\n
At the end of the workshop, a memorandum of understanding on
\ntechnical cooperation of human rights will be signed between the
\nIndonesian government and the UN Human Rights Center.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Alatas said he will open another workshop on
\n\"Managing Potential Conflict in the South China Sea\" in
\nBukittingi, West Sumatra, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Alatas said Indonesia's hosting of this workshop is motivated
\nby a desire to turn the potential of conflict in the area into
\ncooperation.<\/p>\n
He explained that the workshop is part of Indonesia's
\ninitiative to reduce conflict in the South China Sea caused by
\noverlapping territorial claims.<\/p>\n
Six countries -- Malaysia, China, Brunei, the Philippines,
\nVietnam and Taiwan lay claim to the Spratly Islands located in
\nthe South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Despite playing host for the fifth time, Alatas pointed out
\nthat the workshop is not meant to resolve the conflict directly
\nand that the participants will all be attending in a private
\ncapacity.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia does not propose any recipes for that (solution),\"
\nhe said, adding that the workshop is meant as part of preventive
\ndiplomacy and confidence building measures.(mds)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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