Ciganjur signatories to meet Habibie

Ciganjur signatories to meet Habibie

JAKARTA (JP): Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid announced on
Thursday the four signatories of the 1998 Ciganjur declaration
were ready to meet President B.J. Habibie to discuss preparations
for the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) in November.

"I told Pak Habibie that Yogyakarta governor and monarch Sri
Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais and I, have
agreed to meet him in the near future," he said at the
secretariat of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization which
he chairs. He had met the President at his South Jakarta
residence in the morning.

Abdurrahman said the meeting would mainly "discuss efforts to
avoid a deadlock in the presidential election".

The four leading figures were brought together for the first
time by students at Abdurrahman's residence in Ciganjur, South
Jakarta, last November.

They had stated at that time Habibie, who was constitutionally
appointed President after Soeharto's resignation earlier in May,
should end his term in office before the end of the year.

They had also urged a phasing out of the military's
sociopolitical role within six years.

In the meeting with Habibie, which was also attended by
Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi and Minister of
Defense and Security/Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
Wiranto, Abdurrahman informed them of his plan to leave for the
volatile provinces of Aceh, East Timor and Maluku.

"I plan to meet Aceh community leaders and learn the real
situation in the troubled province during my two-day visit
there," he said of the trip slated for July 17.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said students in Aceh
were "now ready" to accept him, although they had expressed
rejection in May when he was campaigning for the National
Awakening Party (PKB).

Based on reports from members and executives of Nahdlatul
Ulama, PKB and Gen. Wiranto, Abdurrahman said he believed the
violent incidents of the past few months in Aceh, in which many
were killed, were neither committed by members of the Aceh
Separatist Movement nor the military.

He said he plans to leave for Ambon, Maluku, on July 25, and
would be in East Timor on July 26 and 27, before departing for
the United States for an eye operation on Aug. 1.

In the U.S., Abdurrahman said he would meet several
dignitaries, including former U.S. envoy to Indonesia Paul
Wolfowitz and chairman of the U.S.-Indonesia Friendship
Association, Edward P. Masters. He then plans to visit the Aceh
leader in exile, Hasan Tiro, in Sweden before meeting several
European leaders in Germany.

But he said he failed to obtain the President's approval to
visit Philippines President Joseph Estrada, together with Amien.

Abdurrahman's plans, however, were strongly opposed by senior
PDI Perjuangan executive Aberson Marle Sihaloho, who said it was
unnecessary for Megawati to be part of a second Ciganjur
agreement.

"What's the purpose of the meeting? If it is meant to decide
on who will be the next president, Megawati should reject it," he
told Antara on Thursday.

"What is Gus Dur's role which enables him to introduce a
power-sharing formula to the public?" he asked.

Abdurrahman has proposed Megawati become president, while he
could chair the People's Consultative Assembly and Amien of PAN
could become Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Aberson dismissed speculations that PDI Perjuangan was
conservative, against amending the 1945 Constitution and that it
supported the continuation of the military's dual function.

Denial

Separately, Amien Rais denied he was offered money by a former
foreign envoy in return for supporting Megawati, as reported by
The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

PAN's executive in charge of international affairs, Bara
Hasibuan, said on Thursday Amien only stated in general terms
that it was normal for foreign parties to try to influence other
countries due to globalization, but Indonesians should be as
independent as possible in determining the country's leadership.

"No former U.S. ambassador has approached Amien Rais to
support a certain candidate let alone offer him money," Bara
said. (imn/anr)