Soeharto to return wealth: Gus Dur<\/p>\n
TEHRAN (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid hinted on Thursday
\nformer president Soeharto would comply with popular demand to
\nreturn his family's wealth to the state.<\/p>\n
In his address to Indonesian society here, Abdurrahman said a
\nnegotiation between Soeharto's family and the government, which
\nwould grant Soeharto a presidential pardon if the former ruler
\nreturned all of his ill-gotten assets, is underway.<\/p>\n
\"I could say now there have been signals that an agreement for
\nSoeharto to return state assets he illegally obtained is within
\nreach,\" Gus Dur, as the President is called, said.<\/p>\n
\"The family of Pak Harto has agreed, but there are several
\nmatters to be settled, including a necessity for me to issue a
\nguarantee on the government's behalf that Soeharto will not be
\nmistreated.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think it is a bother because I'm not a person who has
\na tendency to act cruelly against people.\"<\/p>\n
The President assured, however, the talks would not affect the
\nlegal process against Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"He (Soeharto) must follow the legal process anyway. Then I
\nwill pardon him if he is found guilty,\" Abdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
During his visit to the United States earlier this week, the
\nPresident claimed to win support from U.S. President Bill Clinton
\nto trace Soeharto's assets in the country. Abdurrahman said an
\norganization called the Center for the Study of Corruption would
\nhelp the government fight corruption committed by state
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
Time magazine wrote in a May, 1999 edition an article that
\nclaimed Soeharto and his family amassed a fortune of around US$15
\nbillion. The Central Jakarta district court threw out a
\ndefamation suit lodged by Soeharto against the magazine last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's remarks came on the heels of Attorney General
\nMarzuki Darusman's revelation that Abdurrahman had named Minister
\nof Mines and Energy Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the
\ngovernment's representative in the talks with Soeharto's family,
\nwhich is represented by eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti \"Tutut\"
\nRukmana.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Marzuki
\nstressed that the negotiations were focusing on assets, both in
\nIndonesia and abroad, which were directly related to the seven
\nfoundations Soeharto chaired.<\/p>\n
\"The purpose of the negotiations is to get a clearer picture,
\nwhether it is possible to regain these assets,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
In an interview with The Jakarta Post on Thursday, Marzuki
\nsaid Susilo's comments were based on the fact that he had
\ninitiated a communication with Soeharto's family over the matter.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said such talks would touch sensitive issues so the
\ntwo parties need to begin with a comfortable atmosphere.<\/p>\n
He added that the talks would be conducted in a more formal
\nway if substantial progress was made.<\/p>\n
\"These ongoing talks are only an exchange of opinion. If there
\nis substantial progress, the government will start a formal forum
\nthat is legally and politically acceptable,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
But lawyers representing the former ruler's family denied that
\nany conversation between the two parties had occurred.<\/p>\n
One of Soeharto's lawyers, Juan Felix Tampubolon, said on
\nThursday he heard from Hardijanti that no such talks had
\noccurred.<\/p>\n
\"Ibu Tutut denied she had attended any of the talks. I heard
\nthis rumor three weeks ago and sought to immediately confirm it
\nwith her,\" Juan said.<\/p>\n
\"We consider this (negotiation) improper. Legal measures have
\nbeen imposed on my client, so it must be concluded by a legal
\nmeasure,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Thursday, Abdurrahman held a meeting with Iranian
\nPresident Mohammed Khatami at Saad-Abad, the former imperial
\npalace.<\/p>\n
During his brief talk with Khatami, Abdurrahman asked for
\nIran's support on the disputed area of Irian Jaya and other
\ninternational issues and for assistance to resolve the economic
\nand financial crisis at home.<\/p>\n
The visit is the first for Abdurrahman since he assumed power
\nlast October. Soeharto visited Iran in 1993, followed by a visit
\nby former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to Jakarta in 1994.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also paid a courtesy call to Iranian supreme
\nleader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his one-day trip here.<\/p>\n
The President also revealed that Khatami will be among the
\nworld's Muslim leaders invited to a celebration of Prophet
\nMuhammad's birthday in Jakarta on June 22. Others invited include
\nLibyan leader Moammar Qaddafi, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkhiah
\nand Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. (bby\/byg)<\/p>",
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