U.S. congress staffers here to improve ties<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A delegation of six key Congressional staffers
\nare currently in Jakarta to study the economic and political
\nrelations between Jakarta and Washington, amid mounting U.S.
\ncriticism towards Indonesia's human rights record.<\/p>\n
Consisting of senior aides to members of the United States
\nSenate and House of Representatives, the delegation, which
\narrived on Sunday, will embark on a week-long educational tour.<\/p>\n
The visit is sponsored by the U.S.-Indonesia Society (USINDO)
\nwhich boasts such luminaries as former minister of finance
\nSumitro Djojohadikusumo, former minister of environment Emil
\nSalim and former U.S. secretary of state George Shultz as its
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
Congressional criticism has been growing in the past year
\nagainst Indonesia's labor record and alleged human rights abuses
\nin East Timor.<\/p>\n
The mounting anti-Indonesian sentiment in Congress has
\nresulted in last year's blockage of Indonesia's intended purchase
\nof American made F-5 jet fighters from Jordan and the recent
\ncancellation of a U.S. military training program.<\/p>\n
Just last week the United States inflamed relations even
\nfurther by linking the arrest of an Indonesian dissident labor
\nleader to the renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences.<\/p>\n
Lobbying groups<\/p>\n
USINDO, established in 1993, is one of the foremost lobbying
\ngroups in promoting better relations between the two countries,
\nespecially since it involves persons close to the government
\ncircle.<\/p>\n
During a private, informal coffee gathering hosted by the
\nUnited States Information Service director Wesley Struat here
\nyesterday evening, he seemed to play down the significance of the
\nvisit by calling it as a mere \"educational\" tour.<\/p>\n
Despite being described as a private, non-government \"holiday\"
\ntrip, the delegation is scheduled to meet with a surprisingly
\nlarge number of key government officials including Minister of
\nManpower Abdul Latief, Minister of National Development
\nPlanning\/Chairman of the National Development Planning Board
\n(Bappenas) Ginandjar Kartasasmita and the Vice-Chairman of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) J.A. Katili.<\/p>\n
The delegation will also journey to East Timor and call on the
\nprovince's military commander Col. Johny Lumintang, Governor
\nAbilio Soares and the vocal Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo.<\/p>\n
A trip to Yogyakarta and Bali is also planned where they will
\ninspect various development projects such as the Integrated Post
\nManagement near Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist shrine,
\nin Central Java. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-congress-staffers-here-to-improve-ties-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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