'No PKI remnants in Russia'

'No PKI remnants in Russia'

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian ambassador to Moscow Rachmat Witoelar
said yesterday there were no longer elements of the banned
Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in Russia.

"There are no PKI remnants as far as I know. There are only
former Indonesian students who remain stateless," Rachmat told
reporters after meeting President Soeharto.

The PKI was outlawed in 1966, after being accused of
masterminding a coup attempt against former president Sukarno in
1965.

Rachmat said that most PKI members had fled to other European
countries such as the Netherlands and Germany.

"Even the stateless people, five or six of them, are not doing
anything," Rachmat said, adding that there were strict rules on
the cancellation of Indonesian citizenships.

He said it was virtually impossible for those who had had
their citizenships canceled to return to Indonesia because
immigration rules were so strict.

"There is no mercy for those who are opposed to the New Order
government (under President Soeharto)," he said.

According to Rachmat, communism in Russia is now a thing of
the past, a laughable idea for Russian youths.

On trade, Rachmat said it was a shame that Indonesian
businesspeople were less aggressive in Russia than their
Vietnamese or Malaysian counterparts who were successful there.

"Indonesian businesses think that Russia is still unsafe for
business," he said.

Rachmat said Indonesia's exports to Russia are worth US$300
million a year compared to Vietnam's exports which are worth $500
million a year, mainly in rice, vegetables and seafood.

"My wife can even buy tempe (fermented soybean cake) and tahu
(soybean curd) at a Vietnamese grocery store there," Rachmat
said. (14)