Alatas, Mierlo discuss human rights questions
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his Dutch counterpart Hans van Mierlo discussed human rights during their meeting on Monday, according to a joint statement issued by the two ministers yesterday.
"In the course of consultations the two ministers not only exchanged ideas on issues of a global dimension, but also thoroughly discussed the present bilateral Indonesia-Netherlands relations, including issues of human rights," the statement read without elaborating further.
Mierlo is accompanying Queen Beatrix, who arrived on Monday for an 11-day visit to Indonesia.
The two ministers also discussed ways to broaden their economic, scientific and cultural relations with special emphasis on the development of the younger generation as an investment in future relations, the statement read.
Queen Beatrix in her address in front of President Soeharto on Monday maintained that issues of basic rights and values are a natural element in Dutch-Indonesian dialog.
Warnings
Her assertion was accompanied by warnings in Soeharto's speech that state relations should be based on non-interference in domestic matters.
Perceiving Dutch interference, Indonesia in 1992 rejected all aid from the Netherlands and dissolved the Dutch-led Inter Governmental Group on Indonesia, a 17-country aid consortium.
At the opening of the Jakarta Meeting of the Indonesia- Netherlands Association (INA) yesterday, Alatas described the 1992 events as "the final episode in the process of Indonesia's economic decolonization."
To better forge relations, Alatas pointed to the benefits of people-to-people contact, similar to the course pursued by the INA.
"Such people-to-people contact may also prove to be one effective way of dealing not only with old political sensitivities, but also issues that have in recent times enlivened global discourse, such as human rights," he explained.
On the economic front, Indonesian Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana and Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs G.J. Wijers yesterday signed a declaration for joint cooperation in the field of energy.
The declaration is aimed at facilitating the formulation of energy-related policies and cooperation for the future.
Separately, the Dutch Director for Economic Affairs, Frans Engering, told The Jakarta Post yesterday that a financial program announced here on Monday to aid Dutch companies dealing with Indonesia should not be interpreted as a resumption of aid to the government here as previously reported.
"It is a trade instrument but has nothing to do with developmental cooperation," he said.
Engering explained that unlike other countries, until now the Netherlands has had no export financial system. This program is therefore aimed at helping Dutch exporters of capital goods and construction companies compete with other foreign firms doing business here.
While ministers from both countries were engaged in various discussions, Queen Beatrix yesterday toured the Indonesian Products Exhibition.
Wearing a brown silk batik skirt, she showed genuine interest in the products exhibited, particularly in a stand displaying woven cloth from East Kalimantan.
She purchased some and the stand owner asked for a photo with the Dutch monarch in return.
Today, Beatrix will depart for Surabaya, East Java, where she will stay before continuing to Yogyakarta tomorrow. (mds)
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