U.S. parties see human rights as important issue<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observers of American politics said yesterday
\nthat whether a Republican or a Democrat is elected to the White
\nHouse in November, human rights will continue to feature in
\nrelations between Jakarta and Washington.<\/p>\n
"Whoever is in power, they will still be bearing down on us on
\nhuman rights issues," said former Indonesia ambassador to
\nWashington Hasnan Habib.<\/p>\n
According to Hasnan, such issues are ingrained in the values
\nof the American people and thus it would be doubtful if an
\nAmerican executive did not concern himself with the topic.<\/p>\n
"Even during the Republican era of (former president Ronald)
\nReagan it was the same," he remarked.<\/p>\n
The United States presidential election is coming up in
\nNovember with incumbent President Bill Clinton from the
\nDemocratic party running for a second term against Republican
\ncandidate Bob Dole.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a seminar on U.S. Domestic Politics and Its Impact
\non Foreign Policy, American academic David Newsom said even if a
\nnew administration came to power there would only be subtle
\nchanges in foreign policy.<\/p>\n
"There isn't much room to maneuver," he said in the seminar at
\nthe Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).<\/p>\n
When asked about the issue of human rights and the importance
\nattached to it by the two parties in foreign policy, Newsom said
\nsuch issues are "very deep in the American political body".<\/p>\n
"Whatever party gets in, this issue will not go away," said
\nNewsom, who is interim dean at the Edmund A. Walsh School of
\nForeign Service in Georgetown University, Washington.<\/p>\n
A member of the National Human Rights Commission, Marzuki
\nDarusman, questioned the widely held perception that Republicans
\ntend meddle less in domestic affairs of other countries than
\nDemocrats.<\/p>\n
Newsom said that while Republicans generally favored less
\ninvolvement in the domestic affairs of friendly governments in
\nthe past, they believe there is justification to intervene in the
\naffairs of non-friendly governments, such as communist states.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless he maintained that America has deep attachments
\nto human rights and democratization.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, since the 1970s legislation has been introduced
\nwhich require a government to concern itself with such issues.<\/p>\n
Among this legislation is the requirement for the State
\nDepartment to issue annual human rights reports on various
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
When asked which party would be best for ties with Jakarta,
\nNewsom diplomatically responded by saying that "Indonesia-U.S.
\nrelations have prospered through both Republicans and Democrats."<\/p>\n
Hasnan Habib separately said that he personally prefers the
\nClinton administration. He added that Clinton has shifted U.S.
\npolicy from attention to Europe to attention to the Asia-Pacific.<\/p>\n
"Clinton is our partner in APEC," he said.<\/p>\n
Hasnan said that Dole is a unilateralist with little interest
\nin working within the United Nations and is dubious in his
\npriority towards APEC. (mds)<\/p>",
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