Kim Il-sung solicits Indonesian support
JAKARTA (JP): North Korean President Kim Il-sung yesterday sought the support of Indonesia and the 110-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the rising feud between Pyongyang on one side and the United States and South Korea on the other.
The request was made in a letter presented by his special envoy Kim Chang-gyu to President Soeharto, who is also the NAM chairman, at Bina Graha presidential office.
Tensions have been escalating on the Korean peninsula in recent weeks as North Korea continues to defy U.S. pressure to allow its nuclear facilities to be inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Soeharto told his guest during the meeting that Indonesia did not wish to interfere in Korea's internal matters, but affirmed that the issue must be resolved swiftly and peacefully.
Kim Chang-gyu, who is North Korea's deputy foreign minister, was accompanied by Nana Sutresna, the NAM chairman's chief executive assistant, during the one-hour meeting.
Neither Nana nor Kim elaborated on exactly what kind of support Kim Il-sung was seeking from Soeharto.
Indonesia in the past has been cautious not to take sides in disputes on the Korean peninsula, and has always stated that the problem should be solved peacefully and not through the use of force.
Soeharto, in his capacity as NAM chairman, sent Nana to Pyongyang last year in search of a solution to the crisis.
North Korea is a member of NAM while South Korea is a major trading partner of Indonesia and an important source of investment.
Abstain
Last month, Indonesia was one of the few countries that abstained during a vote at the IAEA for a resolution to hand the nuclear dispute over to the UN Security Council, which is dominated by Washington.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas explained at the time that Indonesia found the resolution overly harsh and that there were alternative ways of investigating the accusations against North Korea.
Nana Sutresna yesterday said Indonesia's interest in the matter stemmed from a declaration at the NAM Summit in Jakarta in 1992 which underlined the Movement's support for the reunification and demobilization of the Korean peninsula.
"They (North Korea) indicated to President Soeharto their willingness to comply with the arrangements they have reached with the U.S.," said Nana.
Commenting on the current impasse centering on the inspection of North Korea's nuclear facilities, Kim Chang-gyu said his government was willing to allow IAEA inspections as long as the U.S. concurrently implemented the promises it had made.
Kim said these promises included canceling U.S-South Korea joint military maneuvers and continuing reconciliation talks between the two Koreas.
North Korea maintains that one of the obstacles to a successful conclusion to the issue is the continued recalcitrance of the U.S. in adhering to its agreements.
Kim, who arrived on Friday, returned to Pyongyang after his meeting with Soeharto. (07)