Experts see RI role in world diplomacy as continuing

Experts see RI role in world diplomacy as continuing

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is likely to remain influential in
world diplomacy even after it rescinds its chairmanship of the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1995, experts in international
relations said yesterday.

Speakers at a seminar to review two years of Indonesia's
leadership of the 111-nation movement agreed that the
chairmanship has further helped promote Indonesia's international
standing as well as influence in international forums.

"Indonesia's experience... will enable it to act as an
initiator or mediator, together with the more sympathetic
developed countries," Hero U. Kuntjorojakti, a lecturer at
University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political
Sciences, said at the seminar organized by the Center for
Information and Development Studies (CIDES).

Acknowledging Indonesia's success in promoting regional
cooperation, peace and prosperity over the last two decades, Hero
said he was convinced that Indonesia would continue to play a
vital role in creating an open atmosphere and in reducing
suspicion which often evolved among its counterparts.

An atmosphere of uncertainty following the post-Cold War era,
he said, has created a situation where countries become more
preoccupied with pursuing their own national interests and turn
to intensifying bilateral and regional relations as a means to
gain prosperity.

In such a situation, Hero considered Indonesia "fortunate" to
be in the heart of the fast-growing Asia Pacific region.
"Indonesia no longer has the urgent incentive to be involved in
NAM, but its past experiences have caused the country to fully
participate in the movement," he said.

Indonesia, who was chosen as leader of the 111-member movement
in 1992, will pass on its leadership next year to Colombia.

Dorodjatun Kuntjorojakti, an expert on social, economic and
cultural affairs of the Executive Committee for the NAM Chairman,
pointed out however that although Indonesia has gained a
considerably outstanding achievement in leading NAM, the movement
has yet to overcome several weaknesses.

Among these weakness, he said, was the fact that NAM member
countries often had conflicting interests.

"It is very difficult to make joint bargaining strategies
(among NAM members) and it takes long hours of patient diplomacy
to reach one," he said.

With these points in mind, he added, NAM has the duty to
counter U.S. President Bill Clinton's definition of the "new
world order" and enforce the movement's own definition of the
concept.

He said NAM "did not like" Clinton's idea which encourages
countries to "expand the circle of free market democracies"
following the Cold War era.

"There is no formula saying a free market leads to efficiency.
A free market does not give an answer to social injustice
either," the economist said.

Dorodjatun considered many serious problems related with these
circumstances would remain after 1995.

"Global peace is still far, but it will also be a period full
of great promises and hope... to build a new equitable
international order," he said, citing NAM's definition of the
"new world order".

Lt. Gen. (ret.) Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo, Indonesia's
Ambassador at Large for African Affairs, considered the most
important aspect in Indonesia's leadership was not only how it
handled problems in and among NAM-member countries, but also how
it consistently took part in action and not talk only.

"Indonesia must be able to demonstrate sound domestic
development, which is the goal of all NAM countries," he said.

This meant that the economy should not only reflect the power
of conglomerates but should also be able to alleviate poverty and
the widening economic gap between the wealthy and the poor, he
said.(pwn)