Clinton's envoys meet Soeharto

Clinton's envoys meet Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): United States President Bill Clinton's envoys
seeking a coordinated regional response to tensions in Myanmar
met yesterday with President Soeharto and Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas.

Security expert Stanley Roth of the Institute of Peace and
retired Ambassador William Brown refused to divulge details of
their discussion with Soeharto.

However, Alatas later said that Indonesia's stance on Myanmar,
along with other countries from the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), would remain one of constructive
engagement.

"Our position has been known. It will not change," Alatas
said, reiterating Indonesia's refusal to take a tougher line
against the ruling junta in Yangon.

Alatas also said Indonesia has no intention of isolating
Yangon over a purely domestic matter of internal strife. "We
don't see the benefit of such an isolation," he said.

Yesterday, William Brown said: "This is the fifth country we
have visited on this quick swing through Asia. We've had a very
interesting, fruitful and productive conversation with the
President."

Brown and Roth have already visited Japan, the Philippines,
Singapore and Malaysia. They are to visit Thailand on the last
leg of their trip.

Last month, Myanmar's military rulers detained more than 250
activists from 1991 Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National
League for Democracy ahead of a party congress. Most have since
been released.

The United States and other Western nations have said they
favor a tough stance against Myanmar, including economic
sanctions.

The recent crackdown has been met with a generally muted
response from ASEAN members, which maintain that they are
adhering to the principal of non-interference and constructive
engagement.

Myanmar is set to join Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as a member of ASEAN
some time in the near future.

Speaking of the visit by the two American envoys, Alatas said
that their mission here and with the other nations is to exchange
information on the position of each government.

"They just want to express their position and hope to listen
to ours," he said. (swe)