President defends outreach to Israel

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid dismissed opposition to his plan to open economic ties with Israel, saying it was in Indonesia's interest to do so.

The President pointed out it was strange that Indonesia had relations with communist countries, like the former Soviet Union and China, but with not Israel.

"In their constitutions both of them clearly oppose God. Meanwhile Israel has never opposed God, so why should we make such a fuss about them. We must be more mature," the President said in a press conference at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Abdurrahman recently disclosed his plan to open commercial relations with Israel, arguing that even some Arab countries had diplomatic ties with Israel. However he assured the public that Indonesia would not open diplomatic ties with Israel before there was a total solution to the Palestine problem.

He also said he was eager to visit the state again.

"Indonesia can learn a lot from Israel on economy and democracy," he said.

Relations with Israel remains a sensitive issue for Indonesia, although some informal diplomatic contacts have occurred.

On Oct. 15, 1993, the then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin paid an unofficial visit to Jakarta for a few hours and met with the former president Soeharto. At that time Soeharto defended the meeting saying that he received Rabin in his capacity as the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab also defended the idea of opening trade ties with Israel, saying it was as a rational and pragmatic way to help restore the country's economic plight.

Alwi told members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) that opening trade links did not mean a shift in principle toward Israel, and stated explicitly that the government would not open diplomatic ties with the state.

He noted that for many years Indonesia has exported a number of commodities to Israel, thus opening trade ties would be an act of honesty from the government.

The minister conceded that several Arab envoys had expressed concerns over the plan, but Alwi argued that ties were important for Indonesia's economic recovery.

He also claimed that international Jewish figures were eager to meet him.

"I heard today that George Soros, Henry Kissinger and Rabai Schrider want to see me," Alwi remarked, while pledging that they would not be able to persuade him to open formal diplomatic ties.

Separately, after receiving 16 ambassadors from various Arab countries House of Representatives Speakers Akbar Tandjung said despite Indonesia's intention to open trade relations with Israel, Jakarta still fully supports the Palestinian cause.

Akbar told reporters that the ambassadors also seemed to acknowledge that the decision was an Indonesia domestic one and they were reluctant to interfere.

However he stressed that opening trade relations would not necessarily open the door for diplomatic relations.

"It all depends on our foreign policy and, currently, we are fully behind Palestine independence", he said. (02/04/prb)