Government denies magazine report

Government denies magazine report

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi
Shihab dismissed on Thursday a media report which claimed that
President Abdurrahman had been asked by Malaysia to mediate in
the establishment of ties between Kuala Lumpur and Tel Aviv.

Alwi decried as baseless a report in the Hong Kong-based Far
Eastern Economic Review magazine which in its Dec. 9 edition
stated that Abdurrahman told journalists traveling with him in
the Middle East last month that Malaysia would like Indonesia to
mediate between itself and Israel.

"The report was baseless ... I joined the meeting between the
two leaders and the topic of Israel was not raised during the
productive talks," Alwi told journalists.

The report cited Abdurrahman as saying that Malaysian Prime
Minister Mahathir Muhammad had asked the Indonesian president to
help foster closer relations.

Alwi said the report had raised many questions.

Many questioned whether the president was purposely misquoted
or whether the reporter merely misinterpret the president, Alwi
said, noting that his aides planned to track down the journalist
who wrote the article and ask for an explanation.

Alwi reiterated that Abdurrahman had never made such a
statement during his visits abroad.

Earlier this week, the foreign ministry sent an official
letter to the Malaysian ambassador explaining the situation.

Alwi claimed that Malaysian Ambassador Rastam Muhammad Isa
responded positively to the explanation.

He underlined that Indonesia considered Malaysia a very
important neighbor, and that Jakarta would reject any effort to
damage the close ties between the two countries.

This is the second time that published comments by Abdurrahman
has risen eyebrows from Malaysia.

Recently Abdurrahman quipped that it was difficult to find top
ministers in Malaysia because they were always on the golf
course. (04)