'Cooperation needed to alleviate poverty'

By Kornelius Purba

ISTANBUL (JP): President Soeharto called yesterday for closer cooperation among developing countries to enable them to accelerate development and eradicate poverty.

Soeharto, in his address to the maiden summit of eight developing countries (D-8) here, said developing countries could not expect their industrialized counterparts to voluntarily share their technology.

"The world situation in the post-Cold War era is marked by instability, confrontation and the persistent inequity and imbalance in economic relations between developed and developing countries, instead of a just and prosperous international order as developing countries had expected.

"Although there are international fora which earnestly discuss the plight of developing countries, their agenda turns out to be dominated by extraneous issues like social clauses and intellectual property rights," Soeharto said.

Soeharto was the first speaker after Turkish President Suleyman Demirel declared the summit of the eight predominantly- Moslem countries open.

The D-8 groups Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria and Turkey.

The one-day gathering was proposed by Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan during his meeting with Soeharto in Jakarta last year. Erbakan's initial proposal suggested the group include only Moslem or predominantly Moslem countries.

Foreign ministers of the group confirmed earlier in the day that the D-8 was open to other developing countries.

Soeharto said in his speech that the member countries would be dragged into the implacable arena of global competition whether they liked and were ready for it or not.

He said developing countries could improve their technology themselves. Hence, they should join forces to facilitate common progress.

"Among ourselves, we are already capable of manufacturing automobiles, sea-going vessels, machinery and even aircraft with cutting-edge technology," Soeharto said.

He suggested the group leaders draw strength from their unique competence that would enable them not only to hold their own in the global economy, but stave off the scourge of poverty that blights many of their people.

Illusions

Soeharto reminded the group members not to have illusions that they could achieve their goals overnight.

"After gathering at this summit and establishing the D-8 as the mechanism of our development cooperation, we must gather our political will and capabilities for coordinated and concerted actions to make the mechanism work." Soeharto said.

He suggested the group avoid projects that are being implemented by other international organizations.

"We should draw up realistic and pragmatic plans so that our efforts are not obstructed by over-ambitious goal setting, lack of commitment and insufficient funds," he said.

He said all group members should make poverty alleviation the top priority because poverty had led to the accelerating deterioration of the global environment.

"The poor's demands for immediate survival have overrun the resources on which the survival of future generations depends," Soeharto said.

The President and his entourage left here two hours ahead of their original schedule. They are expected to arrive home this morning.

The summit was also attended by the presidents of Iran and Turkey, the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia and Pakistan, and Nigeria's industry minister.

The D-8 leaders signed a declaration yesterday read out by Erbakan outlining the six D-8 principles; to strive toward greater peace, dialog, cooperation, justice, equality and democracy.

The declaration called for moves to overcome trade barriers and establish joint business councils between member countries.

The D-8 would be kept open to other developing countries, the declaration said, stressing that membership would not affect existing international obligations of countries who joined.

"Whether they are Moslem or not, all developing countries must come together in close cooperation, adopt joint approaches and develop effective projects," Erbakan said.