Equal partnerships in int'l cooperation vital: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto underlined yesterday the importance of equal partnership in international cooperation, in which countries could interact on a balance footing, despite underlying differences in perception.

"Partnerships can work only if there is mutual understanding, without one belittling the other," said Soeharto, as quoted by Alwi Dahlan during their meeting.

Alwi and other members of the United States Committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kikas) paid a courtesy call to Soeharto explaining their activities, including efforts to introduce a better understanding of Indonesia to the American public.

Alwi, who is on the organization's advisory board, was accompanied by its chairman, Tony Agus Ardie, Secretary-General Chris Walean and A.R. Ramly, an advisor to the board and former ambassador to Washington.

Soeharto said that both the developed and developing countries have their respective strengths and that each should thus complement the other.

He also stressed the importance of instilling in children from an early age the need to establish mutual understanding among people. The campaign should not be confined to adults only, he said, especially if the adults already have certain interests such as business.

He said that mutual understanding could help foster relations among people as well as a realization that despite differences, there are still many areas in which to cooperate in.

"We hope there is no need for others to intervene in another nation's affairs. Foreign countries, just like us, should not impose their demands on others," Soeharto said.

Soeharto then commended Kikas for its work through educational institutions in the United States in increasing American youths' awareness about Indonesia.

Tony Agus Ardie also reported to President Soeharto the results of an essay writing contest about Indonesia organized for high school students in the United States. The students are taking part in Indonesian studies under the Scholastic Ambassador Program for Indonesia launched in the U.S. in the middle of last September.

Under the program, posters and teaching guidelines on Indonesia, including textbooks entitled Pancasila: A Brief Introduction and Introducing Indonesia: Bhineka Tunggal Ika, were distributed to around 80,000 high school teachers throughout the U.S.

"We received 848 articles written by students from various states. Six of them were chosen as the winners, who represent New York, Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and California states," Tony said.

The scholastic ambassador education program was launched by an Indonesian business mission to the U.S. last September led by State Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto.

The prize offered under the contest was a two-week visit to Indonesia, not only for the student winners, but also their parents and the respective teachers who conduct the Indonesian studies.

He said that the writing contest on Indonesia was conducted last November at the suggestion of President Soeharto when he met with the sponsors of the scholastic program in Washington last October.

He added that the contest winners, each accompanied by their parents and a teacher, are now in Indonesia on a two-week visit sponsored by Kikas and the New York-based American-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce.

The students, their parents and teachers who arrived here last Friday were divided into three six-member groups. The groups separately visited Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi and will assemble in Jakarta on Friday to attend Indonesia's independence celebrations, including the plenary session of the House of Representatives, at which President Soeharto will deliver a state address.

They will depart Jakarta on Monday for Bali before they return home next Wednesday.

According to Tony, the scholastic program is a long-term project designed to strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding between the two countries.

"Future U.S. government leaders and businessmen will come from among the high school students," he said, in stressing the importance of the Indonesian studies under the scholastic program. (vin/mds)