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)