Boutros-Ghali looks forward to RI visit
Boutros-Ghali looks forward to RI visit
JAKARTA (JP): United Nations Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali hopes to personally thank Indonesia for the support
given to the world body when he visits here this month.
Boutros-Ghali told Antara news agency in New York that he will
use his upcoming tour to this part of the world -- Indonesia,
Australia, New Zealand and Fiji -- to thank those countries for
their participation in various UN peacekeeping missions.
Indonesia currently contributes some 272 troops and officers
to the UN peacekeeping operations. Australia has 374, New Zealand
286 and Fiji 667, according to the UN office.
Boutros-Gali is scheduled to visit Indonesia from April 21 to
April 25. He will attend the commemoration of 40th anniversary of
the historic Asia-Africa conference in Bandung in West Java on
April 24.
Officials at foreign ministry in Jakarta told The Jakarta Post
that Boutros is also scheduled to hold a meeting with President
Soeharto on Saturday.
After attending the ceremonies in Bandung the Secretary
General will then fly to Australia for the next leg of his trip.
Indonesia will be the first stop in his itinerary. On his
return trip to New York, he will visit Moscow and Paris.
On Friday, he gave a press conference in his office to a group
of journalists representing the four countries included in his
itinerary.
Boutros-Ghali praised the active role Indonesia has played in
the UN's efforts to promote world peace through its peacekeeping
operations. He was quoted as saying that he would use the visit
to Indonesia chiefly to personally thank Indonesia's leader for
the country's participation in the operations.
Indonesia's participation in these missions, be they in
Europe, Africa and Asia, is an indication of its strong
solidarity with the world community, he said.
The contribution of Indonesia and the other participants is
even more vital bearing in mind that some UN members are becoming
reluctant to take part in such missions, he said.
Boutros-Ghali said his tour of the Asia-Pacific region is also
part of the UN's 50th anniversary commemoration. The visit is
meant to show the countries that the world body pays attention to
all its members.
He said he made a similar tour of Central America two weeks
ago to prove to them that the United Nations is not solely
concerned with the former Yugoslavia or South Africa.
Boutros-Ghali said he is also looking forward to his visit to
Bandung.
The Asia-Africa conference in Bandung 40 years ago brought
together for the first time the many countries on the two
continents which were newly free of the shackles of colonialism.
It also inspired others to strive for their own independence.
The conference laid down what has now become popularly known
as the Ten Bandung Principles to guide international relations.
Among the most relevant principles are peaceful coexistence, non-
intervention, mutual respect for territorial integrity, and
protection for minority groups.
The conference also inspired the establishment of the Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) seven years later. Indonesia's President
Soeharto is the current chairman of the 111-nation movement.
Responding to an Antara question, Boutros-Ghali said the
"Bandung Spirit" remains vital to this day in helping to resolve
various conflicts between UN members.
The decolonization process that the conference inspired also
helped boost the UN's membership to reach 185 now, he said.
The UN chief gave his personal endorsement to the continuation
of the Non-Aligned Movement, for although the Cold War has now
ended, the world still faces a North-South division. (emb/mds)