Accommodation sought in North-South ties: Gus Dur

Accommodation sought in North-South ties: Gus Dur

By Budiman Moerdijat

PRETORIA, South Africa (JP): Visiting President Abdurrahman
Wahid said here on Sunday that accommodation is better than
confrontation in North-South relations.

"We agree that we should have a stronger position vis a vis
the other side, but I think accommodation is better than
confrontation," Abdurrahman told a media briefing after a 60-
minute meeting with his counterpart, Thabo Mbeki, at the
Presidential Guest House.

Abdurrahman's statement comes as the two presidents are to
participate in the first ever Summit of the Group of 77 (G-77) in
Havana, Cuba, from April 10 through April 14.

Abdurrahman, who is popularly known as Gus Dur, is on a nine-
day four-nation tour which will also take him to Mexico and Hong
Kong. He is scheduled to leave for Mexico early on Monday.

Formed in 1964 and boasting 133 member countries, G-77 seeks
to promote the development and economic cooperation of countries
in the southern hemisphere.

Fifty-six nonmember states, including the United States and
several other industrialized countries, have been invited to the
summit, which will focus on economic globalization, new
technologies, North-South relations and southern hemisphere
cooperation.

"We will work together in order to achieve conditions that are
better for us in international trade," Abdurrahman said without
elaborating.

Commenting on his meeting with Mbeki, Abdurrahman said that
"the talk was very frank and cordial".

"There is no bilateral problem, except the need to further
increase our relationship. That is why I propose the elimination
of visa requirements for South Africans who want to visit
Indonesia, as well as direct flights between Jakarta and South
Africa," Abdurrahman said.

He added that he had proposed that both leaders "should
exchange visits each year" to strengthen cooperation.

Mbeki, who was also present at the news conference, said
"bilateral relations" between the two countries "will continue to
develop".

"I must say that we have been very pleased with the progress
that has been made in Indonesia with regard to the process of the
election and the composition of the government ... and indeed we
will continue to follow as closely as we can the developments in
Indonesia," Mbeki said.

Mbeki also said that his government was ready to assist
Jakarta in establishing a truth and reconciliation commission to
address past human rights abuses.

"(Former president) Nelson Mandela agreed in the past to give
assistance to that process, so once the commission has been
constituted, we will be ready if there is anything that we can
contribute," Mbeki said. (byg)