U.S. supports 'free and fair RI elections'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
\nAlbright said on Thursday that her country fully supports a fair
\nand peaceful election in Indonesia, and hinted it would not
\nsupport a specific candidate.<\/p>\n
The state secretary said together with the international
\ncommunity the U.S. was ready to provide assistance to help
\nIndonesia as it works to ensure the elections are credible and
\nhonest.<\/p>\n
\"The United States does not support any particular candidates
\nbut we do support the process that we hope will be peaceful, free
\nand fair during and after the election, in which of course the
\npeople's voice is heard, and the popular mandate for political
\nand economic reform is recognized,\" Albright said during a joint
\nmedia conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas at
\nthe latter's office.<\/p>\n
She pointed out that her country was also ready to assist
\nIndonesia during this critical time as it tries to achieve
\neconomic recovery.<\/p>\n
Albright said her discussions with the country's leaders would
\nbe mainly focused on the general election, the country's
\npolitical and economic reforms, and East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"This is a critical moment in the history of one of the
\nworld's great nations,\" she insisted.<\/p>\n
Albright and her entourage arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma
\nAirport on a special flight at about 5.35 p.m for a two-day
\nvisit. According to Antara, this visit also caused traffic
\ncongestion as she was being escorted from the airport to Alatas'
\noffice.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tightly guarded during her
\ntalks with Alatas. Apart from U.S. security guards, several
\npolice personnel were deployed inside the building.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the state secretary is scheduled to meet with
\nPresident B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace. This will be followed
\nby a meeting with Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Before leaving Indonesia, she also plans to meet with jailed
\nEast Timorese rebel leader Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao,
\nchairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais and
\nchairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Albright praised Indonesia's new offer to grant either wide-
\nranging autonomy or independence to East Timor. However, she also
\nexpressed her great concern about continued violence and fighting
\namong the East Timorese and the adverse economic impact of this
\nduring the transition period in the territory.<\/p>\n
Alatas reiterated the government view that ABRI has never
\narmed any pro-integration groups in East Timor, as alleged by
\ntheir rivals. He argued that as the country is even offering
\nindependence, the government has no interest in inciting violence
\namong groups there.<\/p>\n
\"Of course we do not deny that some of these groups, in their
\nfighting, apart from using machetes, or arrows ... turn out
\nto ...have ... firearms, but these are definitely not firearms
\nsupplied by the Armed Forces,\" Alatas said. (prb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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