Moerdiono optimistic about Japan aid for RI

Moerdiono optimistic about Japan aid for RI

JAKARTA (JP): The resignation of Japanese prime minister
Tsutomu Hata is not likely to affect Tokyo's aid commitments to
Indonesia, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said.

Shortly after news of the resignation came from Tokyo on
Saturday, Moerdiono told reporters that he did not expect the
changes in the Japanese leadership to affect the outcome of the
upcoming meeting of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI).

The group is an international consortium which meets each year
in Paris to discuss Indonesia's aid requirements, of which Japan
is the largest donor. Officials have said that Indonesia is
hoping for around $5.1 billion in new aid commitments at the next
CGI meeting early next month.

"Going from past experience, the Japanese political system is
solid enough that any changes in the government, or the
government leadership such as the prime minister, will not affect
the commitments made by the previous Japanese government," said
Moerdiono, who admitted that he was "shocked" to hear the news.

He said that Indonesia and Japan have established a close
rapport in forging mutually beneficial cooperations.

"Secondly, I see that President Soeharto has established many
personal contacts with leaders of the various groups and parties
in Japan," he added.

Moerdiono recalled that this is not the first time that a
change of guard in Japan occurred just ahead of a CGI meeting.

There is another wisdom which Moerdiono said Indonesia could
learn from Japan as the nation is now gearing for the possibility
of a leadership change in 1998.

"It's an interesting lesson for us that how a strong political
system could allow for changes in government without causing
upheavals," Moerdiono said. "Although we're different, maybe we
can learn from what the Japanese has shown us."

Besides being the largest aid donor, Japan is also a major
source of private investment and Indonesia's biggest trading
partner. To Japan, Indonesia is one of its main suppliers of oil
and gas. (pwn)