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)