Habibie to leave for Vietnam for ASEAN three-day summit

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie will leave for Vietnam on Monday to attend the three day-summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Hanoi, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung announced on Saturday.

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto is to accompany the President.

"During (Habibie's) stay in Hanoi, all problems relating to security and the political situation in Indonesia will be handled by the coordinating minister for political affairs and security (Feisal Tanjung)," Akbar said, adding that the President considered the country "very safe."

Akbar said the President would spend two nights in Vietnam, but could return at anytime if his presence was needed in Indonesia. "Therefore, apart from the official presidential plane for the delegation, another aircraft is also being provided for if the President needs to come back to Indonesia," Akbar said after accompanying Habibie at a ceremony to mark the 61st anniversary of the country's official news agency Antara.

The President has repeatedly said that he cannot spend a night outside Jakarta as the country did not have a vice president, as required by law. The position has been vacant since Habibie, the last vice-president under Soeharto, became president in May.

The same reason was cited when he canceled his working visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, two months ago.

Habibie, however, spent one night in Kuala Lumpur last month when he attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. He was also accompanied by Wiranto on that occasion.

Akbar, also chairman of the ruling Golkar, said the President asked Wiranto to accompany him because, as ABRI's supreme commander, he might need Wiranto's advice at any time.

"During important foreign trips, he needs to go along with the ABRI commander, although the substance of the summit may not be directly related to his (Wiranto's) position," Akbar said.

According to the People's Consultative Assembly decree No. VII/1973, during the "permanent absence" of both the president and vice president, the country's leadership is jointly held by the minister of foreign affairs, minister of home affairs and minister of defense.

Gus Dur

In the morning, Wiranto, Akbar and Minister of Justice Muladi accompanied Habibie in receiving Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman of the country's largest Moslem organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, at Habibie's residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

During the two-hour meeting, the President briefed Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, on the schedule for the general election on June 7, and the presidential election on Nov. 10. Akbar said that in principle Gus Dur, a signatory of the recent Ciganjur declaration with three other national figures, supported the plan.

According to Akbar, Gus Dur told the President it was important that people of different ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds, could feel at home in their own country.

The President assured him that he would protect all citizens regardless of their background.

Regarding Gus Dur's idea of a national dialog, Akbar said the meeting could be considered part of such a dialog. Gus Dur agreed, he said, that a "national dialog" need not involve a physical meeting.

Habibie told Gus Dur that he was always ready to meet with other prominent figures, including his opponents.

"I received many lessons from this meeting," Gus Dur said after the meeting. "The meeting could abolish previous prejudices," Muladi remarked without further elaboration.

Habibie also touched on the East Timor issue, saying it was impossible for the province to be independent of Indonesia.

"Indonesia can exist without East Timor, but East Timor cannot exist without Indonesia," Gus Dur quoted Habibie as saying. (prb)