RI growth to resume in 2000

WASHINGTON (JP): Top Indonesian economic officials have expressed optimism that economic growth will resume in the country in 2000, although more reforms are needed to win back market confidence.

"The recovery will take some time. Of course, the success of the whole thing will also depend on the world economy (and) the Japanese economy in the year to come," Bank Indonesia governor Syahril Sabirin told reporters in Washington on Thursday.

Syahril and Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto were in Washington to attend the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meeting, which ended on Thursday.

Bambang said Indonesia's priority was to win back market confidence and "to get the money flowing back into Jakarta so that the economy can grow."

During the meeting, Indonesia gained strong support from the international community. "We also got specific support from Japan," he told journalists at the Indonesian embassy. (27)