Keating discusses APEC preparations with Soeharto

Keating discusses APEC preparations with Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating yesterday
had a telephone conversation with President Soeharto about the
preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Bogor in November.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told reporters yesterday
that the two leaders exchanged ideas on the substance of what
they expected to happen at the Bogor meeting.

"This reflects the strong commitment of the two leaders that
the meeting will be fruitful for the future of the Asia-Pacific
countries," Moerdiono said.

He added that he believed other APEC leaders have similar
expectations about the meeting in Bogor, scheduled for Nov. 15.

President Soeharto, as the chairman of the forum, this week is
scheduled to meet with the chairman of the APEC's Eminent Persons
Group C, Fred Bergsten, who will present the group's second
report.

The report, drafted during a policy session in Tokyo in July,
contains a blueprint for the implementation of proposals
introduced during last year's inaugural APEC Leaders Meeting on
Blake Island, Seattle.

Moerdiono said that during yesterday's 38-minute chat, Keating
also inquired about Soeharto's health, to which the latter
responded that he felt fine.

The minister also confirmed that South African President
Nelson Mandela will be visiting Indonesia on Friday, Sept. 2 in
his capacity as leader of the African National Congress (ANC).
(emb)