RI asks U.S. to exercise sefl-restraint on Iraq

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government reiterated on Wednesday its position on the Iraq crisis and called on the United States to exercise self- restraint and review any plans to launch a unilateral attack.

"We call on the United States to exercise self-restraint and not immediately decide to launch unilateral acts against Iraq," Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said.

"We also urge the United Nations Security Council to extend the time for the arms inspection team to conclude their investigation in Iraq."

The minister made the statement in response to George W. Bush's announcement that he would take the case against Iraq to the UN Security Council again next week, indicating that the U.S. president remained determined to go to war.

Hassan said Indonesia welcomed the fact that Bush did not immediately declare war on Iraq and that it would provide more time for the arms inspection teams to continue their duties.

He underlined that any sanction against Baghdad should come from the UN.

"The Security Council has the authority to settle the Iraq crisis and we have to maximize the efforts to end the crisis peacefully," he remarked.

Indonesia has repeatedly warned Washington not to unilaterally attack Iraq as it will create widespread anti-American sentiment around the globe, including in Indonesia.

Indonesia has seen a number of anti-American protests in the past few days.

On Wednesday, dozens of Muslim students in Riau sealed off a branch of the American food chain McDonald's and called on the people to boycott U.S. products.

Indonesia had to deal with a wave of anti-American protests across the country when Washington launched an attack on Afghanistan in late 2001.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's special envoy Ali Alatas, meanwhile, said that Indonesia had officially conveyed the message to South African President Thabo Mbeki as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) chairman, urging him to take concrete action against Washington's planned war.

"In my meeting with South African President Thabo Mbeki, I conveyed the message from President Megawati for NAM to take concrete measures to stop the war in Iraq," Alatas said.

The former minister of foreign affairs was speaking to press after meeting Megawati to report the results of his visit to Johannesburg earlier this month. "President Megawati expressed her deepest concern over the situation in Iraq and urged NAM to take concrete measures to ensure settlement through the UN and not by taking unilateral action," Alatas said.

Separately, Iraqi Ambassador to Indonesia, Naji M. Al-Hadithi, met People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Amien Rais at the Assembly building to garner support.

During the meeting, the ambassador said the U.S. had no reason to launch an attack on Iraq, but to secure its economic and political interests.

The ambassador also called on the government of Indonesia, a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world, to take a clearer stance on the imminent attack.

Amien, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said the Indonesian people would be enraged if the U.S. attacked.

"I would condemn the U.S. if they attack Iraq because there is no justification for the military attack."