Bintoro, the technocrat behind the Bogor communique

Bintoro, the technocrat behind the Bogor communique

JAKARTA (JP): The declaration by APEC's 18 leaders that will
be read at the end of their meeting in Bogor today is in part the
result of the hard work of Professor Bintoro Tjokroamidjojo,
President Soeharto's special assistant on APEC affairs.

Bintoro certainly has all the qualifications required for the
task of liaising with the other 17 APEC leaders, or their
representatives, in drafting, and even negotiating, the format
and wording of the declaration.

He had a stint as a diplomat when he served as ambassador to
the Netherlands in 1990 and 1993. But he is also an economist, an
administrator and planner, and for good measure, has also spent a
brief period as a politician. He also writes columns and books,
besides giving lectures at universities.

With this rich background, he has been President Soeharto's
trusted man in preparations for the substance of the Bogor
meeting, by traveling to meet with the other APEC leaders on his
behalf, and by compiling reports on their views and then helping
draft the text of the declaration.

Bintoro was born on June 6, 1931, in the Central Java city of
Purworejo.

He is essentially an economist by training, graduating from
the School of Economics of the University of Indonesia in 1959.
The following year, he graduated, magna cum laude, from the
School for Public and International Affairs, the University of
Pittsburgh.

He built his public career as a member of the various teams of
government economic planners, beginning first in the National
Planning Bureau at the time of president Sukarno, and then
becoming part of the National Development Planning Agency under
President Soeharto. He was its deputy chairman between 1973 and
1983.

His relationship with Soeharto dates way back to 1966-1967
when he served as a member of an economic experts team. Soeharto
was still acting president at the time.

Between 1983 and 1990, Bintoro was chairman of the National
Administration Institute. He was then appointed as Indonesian
ambassador to the Netherlands.

Upon his return, he was recruited as a member of the
president's team of advisors on the implementation of the state
ideology Pancasila.

Beginning this year, as Soeharto assumed the APEC
chairmanship, he became the president's most trusted man on the
issue.

Bintoro is married to Latifah Hanoum Harahap and has two grown
sons and two grown daughters. He also has two grandchildren.
(emb)