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)

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