Beatrix's visit promotes greater understanding

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday that the visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to Indonesia has enhanced a greater mutual understanding between the two countries.

But as Queen Beatrix ends her visit today, Alatas stressed that Indonesia would not accept any new offer of Dutch financial aid, despite the stronger relations.

"There's no reason for going back to the old pattern of ties," Alatas told reporters after attending a ceremony for the swearing in of 17 ambassadors by President Soeharto yesterday.

Queen Beatrix is scheduled to complete her visit to Indonesia today, after touring the nation from Jakarta, across Java, parts of Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Sumatra. The queen, who is accompanied by her husband Prince Claus and her son Crown Prince William Alexander during her visit, will depart today from Tabing airport in Padang, West Sumatra, to Singapore, on board a special plane.

Asked about his impression of the visit, Alatas told reporters that politically, it has led to a deeper understanding between the two countries, while economically, it has led to a stronger cooperation in trade and investment.

"Overall, I think the visit has given satisfactory results," he said. "This has also been a historic visit, because it coincides with the 50th year since Indonesia proclaimed its independence. The fact that the visit comes at a time like this has already given it a special meaning."

Queen Beatrix, in her speech during a dinner hosted by President Soeharto on Aug. 21, acknowledged the suffering of the Indonesian people inflicted on them by Dutch military actions to try and reimpose colonial rule in the country after 1945. The queen, however, stopped short of apologizing for the Dutch actions.

Some politicians in Indonesia, and also the Netherlands, have urged the Dutch ruler use the visit to make a formal apology, and to recognize Indonesia's independence as starting from Aug. 17, 1945, when it was proclaimed by the nation's leaders, instead of December 1949, when the Netherlands formally agreed to a transfer of sovereignty.

However, the Indonesian government has stressed that it would not ask Queen Beatrix either to apologize or recognize Indonesia's date of independence. Instead, the government has been hammering more on the need for the two countries to continue building their relations, which is based more on an equal partnership.

In 1992, Indonesia rejected any new offer of Dutch financial assistance, accusing The Hague of continued interference in its domestic affairs. Since then, the two countries have rebuilt their relations, based on a new footing.

Alatas said yesterday that the decision by Indonesia in 1992 turned out to have led to more harmonious cooperative relations between the two countries. "This is because one aspect, that had created friction in the past, has now been removed from the overall relations," he said.

"I could even say that with the decision, the process of decolonization of the Indonesian economy (from the Netherlands) was completed.

"As it turned out, our relations have not taken a turn for the worse. On the contrary, they have become better in the economic field, with increasing trade and investment ties."

Alatas said the two countries are also looking beyond bilateral matters in their relations, given that each has important positions in its respective regions; the Netherlands in Europe and Indonesia in Southeast Asia and East Asia.

The Netherlands, he said, could become the gateway for Indonesian exports to Europe, while Indonesia could be used in a similar way for Netherlands exports to East Asia. (emb)