Mega's role in APEC

President Megawati Soekarnoputri loves to travel. Now she is off again to Mexico to attend the summit meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation organization (APEC). In fact, following the disastrous Oct. 12 bombing in Bali, the President drastically cut her travel itinerary, which originally had been planned to include a number of Latin American countries, including Cuba.

It is well-known by now that she is keen on revisiting all the countries her late father, President Sukarno, visited. That is why she has set aside the advice of foreign ministry officials not to visit Cuba in order not to irritate Washington D.C. unnecessarily.

Although many observers have suggested that the President cancel her travel plans altogether so as better to concentrate on the increasingly complex problems at home in the wake of the Bali bombing tragedy, it was deemed important that she attend the APEC summit in Mexico on Oct. 26 and 27. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda has explained why the President's presence at the APEC summit is deemed necessary. Leaders of other APEC member countries, including President George W. Bush Jr., would be present at the meeting, he said. The foreign minister also stressed that one of the important items to be discussed was the antiterror campaign.

While we accept Minister Hassan Wirayuda's explanation, we also propose that the President make the most of the summit to benefit Indonesia's national interest.

First, it should be explained to the participants that Bali had such a powerful symbolic role in relation to Indonesia's recovery after the 1997 economic crisis that the damage inflicted by the Oct. 12 bombing went well beyond material damage only. It is appropriate, therefore, that the President make an appeal to the members of APEC to help Indonesia reconstruct Bali.

Second, that assistance -- apart from being extended in tangible form, such as by providing the necessary reconstruction funds -- should also include morale-strengthening measures, for instance by not extending the current travel bans to Indonesia, and to Bali in particular, for too long a period. Tourism is an important source of revenue for Indonesia's national income and the sooner this country's tourist industry recovers, the better it will be for Indonesia's economic growth.

Third, the President could also suggest to her counterparts, especially President George Bush, that the related security and intelligence agencies provide finer-grade intelligence data to Indonesia regarding the suspected intentions of terrorist groups. We gather the Indonesian police and other security agencies have been flooded with all sorts of messages and warnings of possible terrorist attacks. As a result they have had difficulty sifting through the information and following up on those that are the most likely to be serious. Besides all that, it is also possible that President Megawati's presence at the APEC summit in Mexico could heighten her sense of crisis after Oct. 12, after seeing and hearing how leaders of other APEC members are so concerned about Indonesia under her leadership.