Goh Chok Tong here for bilateral talks

JAKARTA (JP): Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong arrived here yesterday for a two-day working visit as part of regular consultations among regional leaders.

This morning Goh and President Soeharto will hold bilateral talks at Merdeka Palace to discuss several issues regarding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other related matters.

"The Prime Minister will hold discussions with President Soeharto on the regional currency problem, the upcoming Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting and the informal ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur," the prime minister's office said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post yesterday.

The Indonesian government did not announce Goh's visit, and no officials were available for comment.

Soeharto has confirmed his presence at the APEC summit in Vancouver, Canada in November. The ASEAN informal summit will be held early in December in Kuala Lumpur.

President Soeharto called on ASEAN members on Sept. 1 to establish a common safety network system to deal with possible monetary upheavals in the future.

"The monetary upheavals that have hit our region have made us aware of the importance of cooperation between and among nations," Soeharto had said when addressing the ASEAN Inter- Parliamentary Organization in Bali.

The rupiah, along with other regional currencies, have been under speculative attacks since the devaluation of the Thai baht in July. The rupiah has depreciated 35 percent against the American dollar.

The baht depreciated by 29 percent, the Philippines peso by 26 percent and the Malaysian ringgit by 21 percent. Thailand was forced to seek emergency aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Indonesia and IMF officials are still negotiating ways to deal with the crisis following Soeharto's decision to seek possible support from the world body including fresh money.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam. Laos and Myanmar officially joined the association in July.

Sources said Soeharto is scheduled to meet with Mahathir early in November when Mahathir hosts the Government-15 meeting in Kuala Lumpur. The G-15 comprises developing countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Argentina.

"The President and PM Goh will have lunch in the afternoon, and Goh will leave for Singapore later in the day," said a diplomatic source. (prb)