Alatas tells U.S. aid and rights just don't mix

Alatas tells U.S. aid and rights just don't mix

NEW YORK (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas warned
the United States against attaching political strings to its
foreign aid programs yesterday, suggesting that doing so could
make the problem worse.

"Imposing human rights as a political condition for economic
cooperation with developing countries is wholly counterproductive
to both the promotion of human rights and the pursuit of
development," Alatas said on Wednesday before more than 200
business, academic and government leaders attending an Asia
Society conference here.

"If people-oriented development is successful, then the
people's quality of life will be enhanced," he said in a keynote
address to the conference on "Indonesia, the United States and
the World Today".

"This means not only the fulfillment of their material needs,
but also a greater and more secure enjoyment of all their human
rights," he said.

Indonesia and the United States have been at odds on the
questions of human rights, labor rights and democracy,
particularly over the past year.

Washington last year threatened to end Indonesia's special
trading privileges granted under the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP), blocked a planned sale of U.S.-built
jetfighters by Jordan to Indonesia, and also slashed military
training aid for Indonesian officers.

Officials in both capitals however have since managed to put
these problems in perspective and worked on forging closer ties,
especially in the business sector, despite these differences.

This factor was acknowledged by Alatas when he asserted in his
speech that relations are "perhaps as solid and as broadly gauged
as they have ever been."

The United States and Indonesia have much to gain from knowing
each other better and learning from each other, he said.

"But more than that, what we can do for each other as well as
what we can do together could serve as an example for that vital
partnership between the developed and developing countries,
between the North and the South, which will be needed if we are
effectively to address the global challenges humankind is facing
today," he said.

Alatas pointed out that more than half of total U.S. world
trade is with the Pacific region and that more than 1.5 million
U.S. jobs now depend on exports to Asia and the Pacific.

Indonesia ranks as a major destination for American cotton,
chemicals, aircraft parts, and other industrial goods.

US$8.5 billion

Two-way trade between Indonesia and the U.S. totals US$8.5
billion each year , and America's direct investment since 1967
adds up to more than $3.8 billion.

"While this economic relationship has positive benefits for
both countries, failure to preserve it could be as severe as some
of the traditional military challenges the United States is
facing," the minister said.

The conference, which will end today, was sponsored by the
Asia Society, the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS) in Jakarta, the United States-Indonesia Society, and the
American-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce.

Other speakers include Paul Wolfowitz, a former U.S.
ambassador to Indonesia and Sidney Jones of Asia Watch, CSIS
chairman Yusuf Wanandi, William Liddle of Ohio State University
and Donald Emmerson, political science professor at the
University of Wisconsin.

The conference is part of a year-long public education project
organized by the Asia Society. It took "Uncovering Indonesia:
Insights for the 1990s." as its theme. The purpose of the project
is to provide a deeper understanding of contemporary Indonesia
and of U.S.- Indonesian relations.

Book

The Asia Society is also planning to publish a multi-author
volume exploring Indonesian politics, economy and culture. The
book, due out in 1995, will be edited by Donald Emmerson.

The conference was slightly disrupted by 10 demonstrators
carrying posters denouncing Indonesia's policy in East Timor
outside the Asia Society building on Park Avenue, prior to the
opening reception.

Alatas told the press after opening the conference that the
United States needs to see Indonesia as a whole, not just one of
its many facets.

"The U.S. should consider the totality of our relationship to
avoid being carried away by a certain minority which only sees
Indonesia as East Timor or human rights," Alatas said.

He noted that despite the long and good bilateral relationship
between Indonesia and the U.S., there remains a gap in mutual
understanding, particularly on the U.S. side.

"We need to fill this gap, otherwise both will suffer. The
U.S. will suffer because it will miss a chance for very
beneficial cooperation," said Alatas as quoted by Antara.
(lem)