Indonesia joins ASEAN concern over Cambodia

Indonesia joins ASEAN concern over Cambodia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia expressed concern yesterday over the
crisis in Cambodia and is mulling over suggesting a special ASEAN
meeting to discuss the issue.

After meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace,
Ambassador-at-large Nana Sutresna said the President was deeply
concerned and hoped that an amicable solution could be reached
soon.

"The situation in Cambodia should be resolved peacefully and
the parties involved should restrain themselves," Nana quoted
Soeharto as saying.

Nana was accompanying visiting Japanese vice-foreign minister
Kazuo Ogura, who met Soeharto to convey a special message from
Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on the Cambodian issue and last
month's G-7 Summit in Denver.

"We hope that ASEAN will be able to make a positive
contribution to the solution of Cambodia," Ogura said after the
meeting.

On Sunday Hashimoto urged the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- to take a leading role in
relieving the Cambodian crisis.

In February Soeharto visited Phnom Penh and expressed support
for Cambodia's entry into ASEAN. Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are
due to be admitted later this month.

ASEAN, and in particular Indonesia, has an affinity to
Cambodia due to its role in brokering the peace to the previous
war there.

In 1988, Jakarta hosted breakthrough talks between warring
factions in Cambodia which finally led to the 1991 Paris peace
conference co-chaired by Indonesia and France.

Foreign minister Ali Alatas said yesterday that despite its
past role, Indonesia could not go galloping in and try to resolve
the situation without the consent of the warring factions in
Cambodia.

"What's happening now is a struggle between the two premiers,
and is entirely Cambodia's own internal affair. Cambodia is a
sovereign state, people's can't just go in whenever they want,"
he said after a hearing at the House of Representatives.

"If both sides ask Indonesia then we would gladly help. But
the reality is right now there is no such request," he added.

"The only thing we can do is through ASEAN ... That is why I
am trying to contact the Malaysian foreign minister to suggest or
consider an ASEAN foreign ministers meeting over the issue,"
Alatas revealed.

AFP reported from Manila last night that senior officials from
the ASEAN member countries would meet, probably in Kuala Lumpur,
on Saturday.

When asked about the status of the Indonesian Embassy there,
Alatas said there was presently no plan to evacuate the
diplomats.

"It's not that we don't think the situation is grave, but more
because we believe that an evacuation is not necessary. We'll see
how it goes," he replied.

Indonesia has a small embassy with a staff of fewer than 10
diplomats headed by Ambassador Hamid Alhadad.

On the question of Cambodia's impending membership of ASEAN,
Alatas remained firm: "Up to now the decision still stands."

However he hinted that ASEAN could deliberate the question
further should conditions arise which might affect Cambodia's
ability to join.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon was quoted as
saying in Manila yesterday that ASEAN senior officials would
gather to study the recent developments at a special meeting in
Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

He confirmed that there was a proposal for an emergency
foreign ministers meeting but could not say whether it would be
held at the same time.

Saturday's meeting is "to determine whether the situation at
that time, Saturday, in Cambodia would require a reversal of the
previous position" to admit Cambodia into ASEAN," Siazon said.

In Bangkok, Thai foreign minister Prachuab Chaiyasarn said
ASEAN would wait and see till the formal ministerial meeting in
Kuala Lumpur on July 24 and July 25 before making a decision.

"ASEAN has about two weeks to discuss the situation between
now and later this month," he said. "We will watch if things are
improving or not, and if ASEAN is satisfied with the situation, I
think nothing will change," Prachuab said. (06/mds)

Photo -- Page 2