Abdurrahman considering new grouping
Abdurrahman considering new grouping
SINGAPORE (JP): Unhappy with the ASEAN summit's emphasis on economic competitiveness and not solidarity, President Abdurrahman Wahid said here on Friday that he might set up a new multilateral grouping that includes East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
Speaking to reporters after bilateral talks between Abdurrahman and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said the President had expressed concern during the ASEAN-plus-three (China, Japan and South Korea) dialog earlier in the day that ASEAN "might be too heavily concentrated on economic competitiveness and forgetting a bit about ASEAN solidarity".
"President Wahid told the Chinese premier that we are actually interested in including East Timor and Papua New Guinea in our multilateral relationship, but since ASEAN countries were not very enthusiastic about the idea, the President said he might set up a new multilateral grouping with East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand," Wimar said.
He said Abdurrahman believed that "solidarity and brotherhood" among ASEAN members should be "first and foremost considering the fact that ASEAN consists of 10 countries which are quite diverse in their stages of development".
"The idea of solidarity and taking care of a weaker neighbor should come before the idea of unilateral expansion of economic capability.
"With that notion, if ASEAN is not able to accommodate countries, such as East Timor and Papua New Guinea, then we go back to the point that Indonesia might have to engage in a different kind of relationship," Wimar quoted Abdurrahman as saying.
Wimar also said Abdurrahman "took note of the fact" that the existing ASEAN projects were only in the western part of ASEAN.
"The ASEAN projects which are actively being developed, such as the Mekong River project and the railroad from Singapore to China, mainly have a direct impact on the western part of ASEAN, but not much emphasis has been on the eastern part. So Indonesia is suggesting that we resurrect and activate that," Wimar said.
Wimar added that Abdurrahman had suggested the idea of building a bridge between Malaysia and some points in Sumatra "to complement the idea of a railroad between Singapore and China".
He was implying, however, that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was more interested in supporting the idea of improving sea transportation in Indonesia and Brunei.
Wimar said Mahathir was scheduled to discuss the issue further with Abdurrahman during a breakfast meeting on Saturday.
Abdurrahman is also scheduled to meet with members of the Indonesian community on Saturday afternoon before he leaves for Batam island to address the ASEAN People's Assembly.
The President is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Saturday evening.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (byg)