Goh Chok Tong here for bilateral talks
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)