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)