No time for delay, nations tell Soeharto

No time for delay, nations tell Soeharto

WASHINGTON (Agencies): Leading nations sent a clear message yesterday to Indonesia's President Soeharto: Time is running out!

United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright yesterday called on President Soeharto to "preserve his legacy" by permitting a transition of democracy.

In a speech at graduation ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Albright increased pressure on Soeharto, saying that "now he has an opportunity for an historic act of statesmanship" by stepping down.

By stepping down, Albright said in a prepared speech, Soeharto would "preserve his legacy as a man who not only led his country but provided for its democratic transition."

A senior U.S. official said while Albright did not directly call for Soeharto's resignation, that was the point of her statement.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer went further, making plain his view that the Indonesian leader should resign without delay.

Downer said the nation of 200 million people needed a quick leadership transition to avoid instability and restore its battered economy.

"If there is too much delay ... I think the stability of Indonesia will be once more brought into question," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

Downer said a leadership transition that took 18 months to two years, as predicted by some in Indonesia, was far too long.

"If it's going to be too drawn out, the confidence of the Indonesian community will be lost in the reform program and the transitional process," he said.

Transition

Britain called for "peaceful transition" in Indonesia, signaling support for the end of what a minister called "the Soeharto regime".

"We call on the government of Indonesia to ensure that the new elections are free and fair," Foreign Office Minister Derek Fatchett told parliament.

"Political reforms are needed that will do justice to the aspirations of the people of Indonesia," Fatchett said.

He urged Indonesia to introduce changes quickly to restore calm and stability but added later in reply to questions: "I'm not optimistic that they (the elections) will take place but we will continue to push in that direction."

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said yesterday that President Soeharto had promised to carry out reform and elections. Hashimoto told reporters he had received a message from the Indonesian leader earlier in the day.

"(Soeharto) promised to seriously pursue reforms."

Hashimoto also said the President also promised to take into account Japan's request that Indonesia exercise maximum restraint in handling its political and economic crisis.

Earlier, Japanese government officials said they were "extremely concerned" about the situation in Indonesia and voiced hopes unrest there would not lead to bloodshed.

"We are extremely worried," Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi told the Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"We understand that students are not fully satisfied (with Soeharto's statement)," Japan's top government spokesman Kanezo Muraoka told a news conference. "But bloodshed must be avoided."

Neighboring Malaysia was guarded in its reaction.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told the Bernama news agency that Soeharto's promise to hold polls would give Indonesians a chance to make a choice under the constitution.

"The people will certainly welcome this," Abdullah said.

Meanwhile in Manila, President Fidel Ramos welcomed Indonesian President Soeharto's decision to step down yesterday, and offered to help the riot-torn country out of its economic troubles.

"I welcome President Soeharto's announcement outlining what appears to be his graceful exit from power," Ramos said.

Ramos praised Indonesian protesters for calling off a massive demonstration scheduled for yesterday and appealed for restraint among Indonesia's military, students and opposition groups.

"This will facilitate reconciliation and eventual recovery," Ramos said in a statement read at a news briefing. He said a resumption of violence would make it hard for Indonesia to recover from its economic woes and seriously affect the economies of other Asian countries.

Citing the warm relations between the two countries, Ramos said the Philippine government was ready to help Indonesia solve its economic and other woes "without interfering in their internal affairs".

Cuban leader Fidel Castro also remarked that Indonesia is facing "a real crisis situation there".

Castro told Associated Press Television after addressing the World Trade Organization Tuesday that he believed the International Monetary Fund bailout packages led to the violence in the country.

The crisis was "created by the IMF because of the measures it has required the government to take", the 70-year-old president said.

Critics, including Castro, say conditions for the aid -- immediate cuts in subsidies and firing workers to trim budgets -- were taking a severe social toll.

"I would very much like for peace to return to Indonesia, for the good of all the people," Castro said. "We are very sorry for all the deaths, all the lives that have been lost, and young people who are dead."

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said the government was "carefully watching" developments in Indonesia.

He was quoted by Itar-Tass news agency as saying the situation had "somewhat stabilized at the present time, but that does not mean we have relaxed our vigilance".