Mandela to visit Jakarta this month

Mandela to visit Jakarta this month

JAKARTA (JP): South African President Nelson Mandela's planned
state visit to Jakarta from July 14 through 16 was confirmed
Thursday by an embassy official.

This will be the third visit by the Indonesian batik lover,
after unofficial visits in 1990 and 1994.

"This visit aims to strengthen the two countries' relations,
because my country regards Indonesia as very strategic," said
Linford Andrews from the South African embassy.

The charismatic president is widely regarded as an
"ambassador" for Indonesian batik because he wears long-sleeved
batik shirts at important functions, including during a state
visit to England last year.

"Batik is very suitable for our climate," Andrews said.

The president will visit Indonesia during his tour of member
countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations. He
visited the Philippines, Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia in March.

"President Mandela will be in Jakarta from July 14 to 16, and
he will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo," Andrews
said.

Mandela will arrive in Bali on July 12 for a private visit,
before starting his official mission.

He came here in 1990 in his capacity as the Vice Chairman of
African National Congress (ANC). At that time President Soeharto
presented him with US$10 million in cash to finance educational
programs in South Africa.

In September 1994 he visited Jakarta again, as ANC chairman
despite being elected as the country's president four months
earlier.

Although state officials have confirmed the visit, it has not
yet been officially announced by the State Secretariat.

Andrews said, "Indonesian non-oil exports to South Africa in
1996 stood at $108 million and its imports totaled $167 million."

The two heads of government are expected to discuss Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) affairs because Pretoria will take over
the chairmanship of the 113-member organization from Colombia in
a summit in Pretoria in September next year.

Indonesia hosted a NAM summit in 1992.

Nelson Mandela surprised the government three years ago when
he unexpectedly raised questions about human rights and East
Timor in a meeting with Soeharto.

"From Jakarta he will continue his trip to Thailand," Andrews
said. (06)