Clinton set to discuss human rights

JAKARTA (JP): United States President Bill Clinton and Indonesia's President Soeharto will wrestle with human rights and labor issues when the American head of state makes a one-day state visit here next week.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Winston Lord, said yesterday that apart from bilateral issues on economic and security affairs, the issue of rights and freedoms will also feature in the discussion between the two presidents.

"We will discuss human rights problems, workers rights problems," Lord said during a live WorldNet dialog beamed from Washington here yesterday evening.

Lord contended that the decision to raise such issues should not be surprising since the U.S. remains consistent in its approach towards Indonesia.

The U.S. has threatened to take stern measures against Jakarta such as the suspension of the Generalized System of Preferences trading rights if Jakarta fails to improve its labor conditions.

President Clinton, to be accompanied by a large delegation which will include Mrs. Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher, is expected to arrive here on Nov. 13 to begin the longest visit to Indonesia by any American president.

In fact, the four-day stay here marks a very rare occurrence since the U.S. president seldom stays in any one country for more than two days.

The initial highlight will be Clinton's attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace, 60-kilometers south of Jakarta, on Nov. 15.

APEC was established in 1989 and comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

Following the Bogor meeting Clinton will make a one-day state visit where he will hold bilateral talks with Soeharto.

Lord describes Clinton's trip this time as underlining America's great stake in the region in a wide range of interests from economic security to promotion of freedom and concern for the environment.

Though preferring to stress the various areas of "positive" cooperation between Jakarta and Washington, Lord acknowledged that "we also have problems in the human rights area."

Nevertheless he noted that the talks will be conducted in a highly amiable manner.

"These are issues consistently discussed with Indonesia in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect," he said in an apparent attempt to prevent any contentious debate which could arise in anticipation of Soeharto and Clinton's discussion of these issues.

The obvious U.S. concern with rights issues in Indonesia was propelled further when Lord praised a neighboring country in southeast Asia for its exemplary conduct in this field.

Interview

Throughout the hour-long satellite interview, Lord consistently exalted Soeharto for his leadership in many fields, from the economy to regional security to APEC, but not human rights.

Lord offered a stark contrast when answering a question by a panelist from Manila, lauding the conditions of human rights there.

The Philippines, Lord said "is a model for democratic and human rights freedoms."

Commenting further on the specific concerns the U.S. would likely bring up with Indonesia, Lord cited the recent closure of a number of publications and East Timor as among them.

The Indonesian government last June suspended the licenses of three popular publications for editorial and administrative reasons.

The East Timor issue has been lingering for nearly two decades since Jakarta integrated the former Portuguese colony as part of Indonesia in 1976.

"We hope our Indonesian friends can make progress on some of these difficult issues, which are problems not just for us but also other countries as well," Lord remarked.(mds)