Indonesia congratulates Bill Clinton over victory
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto congratulated yesterday United States President Bill Clinton on his re-election, and expressed his confidence that the two countries, as sovereign states and friends, would overcome any differences that may exist.
"President Soeharto said the re-election of President Clinton shows the high trust that American people place on his leadership," said Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono.
Speaking after a brief cabinet meeting at Bina Graha, Moerdiono said Soeharto hoped the U.S. would use its technological expertise for the welfare of all mankind.
"The President is of the opinion that, as sovereign states, the U.S. and Indonesia may have differences in opinion. However, between friends differences are normal and should be resolved in a friendly manner," Moerdiono remarked.
President Bill Clinton was re-elected for a second four-year presidential term in Tuesday's election.
While bilateral relations were generally good, U.S. government and congress criticism on Indonesia has strained relations.
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Stapleton J. Roy, watching the election broadcast on television, said the implications for Indonesia are good.
Roy was among several hundred guests attending a U.S. election watch at the Hilton Hotel yesterday.
"We have some problems in our bilateral relationship, but if our two governments work on those problems in a spirit of trying to find good solutions, I'm confident that we can continue to keep improving the relationship," said Roy.
"I think the United States government appreciates the importance of this country and it wants to have a good relationship with Indonesia," he added.
When asked about the likelihood of further pressure from Washington on human rights issues, the ambassador said such issues have always been a U.S. concern.
"We have been emphasizing civil rights and human rights for 220 years, we emphasize it in our own country and we emphasize in our relationship with other countries, I don't expect that to change," he said.
Legislator Theo Sambuaga said whether the election result gave a Republican or Democrat victory would not greatly concern Indonesia, but he said he was confident Clinton's re-election would strengthen bilateral relations.
"Clinton and his administration, in a personal and a functional sense, already know President Soeharto and other cabinet members quite well," said Theo who represents the ruling Golkar faction.
Common understanding is an important basis for building awareness and mutual sensitivity between the two countries, he said.
"They already know which areas need to be developed and improved further, along with all the divergencies," he said. Theo sits on the House of Representatives Commission I on foreign affairs.
The private sector also hailed Clinton's victory. Amirudin Saud, chairman of the Indonesian Importers Association, said he was happy with the news.
He told The Jakarta Post that no drastic change in U.S. policy toward Indonesia is expected, but he believes Clinton will now place even greater importance on economic relations with Asia.
Fahmi Idris, president of the Kodel Group of companies, said human rights, democratization and free trade are likely to remain on the U.S. agenda.
On Clinton campaign contributions from Indonesian James Riady, Fahmi said Riady made the donation for his own reasons. They were in no way related to Indonesia's national interests.
"What James did had nothing to do with the government. James Riady was doing it for his own business reasons so it was effective for Lippo but not for the (Indonesian) government's lobby," he told the Post. (rid/mds)
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