Foreign Ministry clarifies

I wish to refer to Mr. Meidyatama Suryodiningrat's article published by The Jakarta Post on Jan. 11, 2000, touching on Indonesia's foreign policy under the leadership of President Abdurrahman Wahid which may create some misunderstanding.

The government of President Abdurrahman Wahid has inherited a very complex and multifaceted conundrum following 32 years of management that has brought the country into an economic and political crisis as well as devastated Indonesia's image abroad.

The official visits conducted by President Wahid to various countries in such a relatively expeditious phase are aimed at revitalizing Indonesia's image before the international community as well as to lure foreign investors' interests in the country with the hope for generating Indonesia's economic recovery. In turn, the international community's support and commitment in the country's economic recovery and territorial integrity prove the success of those visits.

It is rather unfortunate indeed, that the article published in one of Jakarta's leading newspapers had linked Indonesia's foreign policy matters by personally assaulting Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab. For this reason, allow me to clarify the matter in detail as to provide a more balanced and objective report to the readers.

Foreign Minister Shihab's sudden departure from final media briefing during the ASEAN post-Ministerial Conference in Bangkok before it was officially closed by his Thai counterpart was due to his prior appointment with the Foreign Minister of Canada who for a certain reason had to return immediately to Canada. Furthermore, the final media briefing was held behind the actual schedule and it was not feasible for Minister Shihab to cancel his meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister.

The meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister was important as Minister Shihab was expected to explain the Atambua incident, in which three United Nations' humanitarian workers in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, were killed and it may have grave international ramifications to Indonesia.

Those are the facts that needed to be known and understood by the writer that would hopefully enlighten the readers as well as to avoid further negative imprints. It would be too naive indeed, should the performance of Indonesia's foreign policy be influenced by such an unsubstantiated matter.

ADIYATWIDI A. ASMADY

Secretary to the Minister

Ministry of Foreign Affairs