Diplomats allowed to visit Maluku: Alwi
THE HAGUE (JP): Visiting Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab said here on Friday that foreign diplomats and UN officials accredited in Indonesia would be allowed to visit Maluku and North Maluku provinces to monitor the situation in the riot-torn areas.
But Alwi quickly rejected suggestions on sending an official international mission of politicians or UN officials to the area.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Dutch Second Chamber (parliament), Alwi added that few international relief organizations would also be allowed direct access to the area which is currently under a state of civilian emergency.
Alwi is on a brief visit to the Netherlands, which was Indonesia's former colonial ruler.
The issue of the Maluku violence remains a concern of The Hague as Holland is also home to thousands of people of Maluku origin who fled Indonesia in the 1950s after a failed separatist uprising was crushed by Jakarta.
Dutch politicians had urged the Indonesian government to allow an independent international mission to Maluku to report on the situation there.
The mission should be made up of the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in cooperation with the UN, a member of the social democratic PvDa party said.
"An independent mission is necessary in order to get an objective picture of the situation in the islands," conservative VVD party member Hessing said earlier.
Besides discussing the Maluku situation, Alwi also revealed that President Abdurrahman Wahid had asked former Dutch Foreign Minister and Former European Commissioner Hans van den Broek to be his special advisor.
"Van den Broek could assist in general and European affairs," he contended.
Van den Broek, 60, will join U.S. former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as part of the growing list of the President's special advisors.
Van den Broek refused to comment on the offer, saying that he has yet to be officially approached for the job by the Indonesian government.(Bobmantiri)