Dialog is crucial to prevent chaos: Bambang

Dialog is crucial to prevent chaos: Bambang

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that
a meeting between the country's top leaders should proceed to
prevent chaos generated by the prolonged political impasse.

Susilo said signs of political chaos in the country had
emerged and it was therefore imperative that the main four
political leaders sit down together to resolve their problems.

"If (the meeting) comes about from a clean conscience and with
the spirit of settling fundamental problems, and not to achieve a
short-term target for a certain group, there will be benefits,"
he said.

He was speaking after a weekly breakfast gathering at the
official residence of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri on
Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta. President Abdurrahman Wahid
and defense minister Mahfud MD were also present.

In a bid to end the protracted political stalemate, embattled
Abdurrahman has proposed a meeting between himself, Megawati,
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and People's
Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.

The four met in Yogyakarta in August last year, just before
the Assembly's annual session which saw Abdurrahman survive his
toughest test.

Susilo suggested that the political standoff be quickly
addressed through peaceful and constitutional means.

He added that the issue of the planned meeting was sidelined
during the breakfast, which highlighted the country's security
affairs in general.

When asked whether the meeting should include a discussion of
a successor to the President, Susilo said the meeting's agenda
had not been decided yet.

"There are many proposals on the meeting's agenda, but let the
political elite decide the correct formula," he said.

Akbar has said the power-sharing scheme between the President
and Vice President should be a priority of the proposed meeting.

Deputy secretary-general of Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle Pramono Anung welcomed on Wednesday Akbar's proposal,
saying the power-sharing formula would be the best solution to
the current political crisis.

"But it should be agreed upon in the form of political
convention as we have pledged not to amend the 1945 Constitution
only for short-term political interests," he said.

He said the meeting should be held before the House convened
to decide whether to censure the President a second time at the
end of this month.

Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who brokered the
last meeting between the country's top four political leaders,
was pessimistic that another meeting between the four would
generate a political breakthrough.

Speaking to journalists after addressing a discussion on the
environment, Hamengkubuwono said he was reluctant to organize
another meeting.

"There is no use bringing them together if the result is going
to be the same as their last meeting," he said, referring to the
earlier meeting the four held at his palace.

Despite his readiness to attend the meeting, Amien expressed
his skepticism, saying that the event could obtain nothing but
broad media coverage.

"I'm afraid the meeting will spark the anger of students and
people, who will accuse us of engaging in a drama," he said on
the sidelines of a mass prayer in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

He insisted that the Assembly special session was the only way
to solve the long-standing political bickering.

"Only a miracle that will save Abdurrahman from the second
memorandum of censure, which may be handed down either at the end
of this month or early in May," he said. Amien also heads the
National Mandate Party.

Separately, Matori Abdul Djalil, deputy chairman of the
People's Consultative Assembly who also chairs the National
Awakening Party (PKB) which was founded by Abdurrahman, said
Megawati wanted a peaceful and democratic solution to the current
political conflict.

"Mbak Mega wants all sides to stick to the Constitution and
democracy in seeking a peaceful solution to the political
tension. All sides are also expected to exercise wisdom and avoid
physical clashes so that nobody will lose face," he said on
Wednesday.

Matori was speaking about topics discussed at his informal
meeting with Megawati on Tuesday.

He said that Megawati, also chairwoman of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), hoped her party
and PKB would continue their close relations, despite their
difference stands on the financial scandals that led the House to
issue its first memorandum of censure against the President.

Asked to comment on the planned meeting between the four top
political figures, Matori said both Abdurrahman and Megawati were
ready to solve the conflict in accordance with peaceful and
democratic principles.(02/23/27/dja/rms)