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".