RI still recognizes Saddam as `legitimate leader'

RI still recognizes Saddam as `legitimate leader'

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government took a cautious stance in the wake of
the fall of Baghdad to the coalition forces, saying Jakarta was
waiting for further information in Iraq before it took a clear
position.

Minister of foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Thursday
that Indonesia would continue to recognize Saddam Hussein as the
legitimate president of Iraq until there was a clearer status in
that country.

"Up to this minute yes, until we confirm the real situation in
that country... We are seeking a further clarification whether
Saddam's regime has already collapsed or not, and (we're) waiting
for the formation of an interim government," Hassan said after
Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening.

He further emphasized that it was too early to judge the true
situation in Iraq, and to perceive the real aspirations of the
Iraqi people concerning the ongoing developments.

Indonesia was among a host of countries that staunchly opposed
U.S.-led intervention in Iraq, and considered it aggression.

The scenes of the recent fall of Baghdad and of the jubilant
Iraqi people, broadcast live all over the world, has prompted
Indonesia to review its stance on Iraq and Saddam's regime.

Hassan said that the government needs more evidence, in
addition to just the fall of Baghdad, that Saddam no longer rules
Iraq.

"Before deciding on a political stance, we also have to take
into account whether the whole process of repairing the
infrastructure damaged during the war, as well as the
establishment of an interim government there, will be coordinated
by the United Nations (UN) or not and whether or not it wins the
full support from the Iraqi people," the minister said.

Indonesia has been of one voice against the war and urged the
UN to play an active role in maintaining world order.

As the war comes nearer to an end, the Iraqi people have
expressed great support for the U.S. and coalition forces and
called them freedom fighters.

The Iraqi people's jubilation has seemingly helped to justify
the war and could likely mean a greater role for the U.S. and its
allies in reconstructing Iraq and forming a new administration to
replace Saddam's regime.

U.S. President George W. Bush who was heartened by Baghdad's
fall, once said that the UN would play an important role in post-
war Iraq, especially to handle the war's negative impacts on the
country and its people.

"What we would like to see is the U.S. keep its word and not
stay there to occupy the country," Hassan remarked.

The minister reiterated the call for the UN to take a leading
role in the reconstruction program and the planned formation of
the new government in Iraq.

"The attack ignored the UN and it should not happen again in
the next two major phases in post-war Iraq," Hassan stressed.

He said further that Indonesia would not absolutely recognize
the interim government in post-war Iraq, unless certain
conditions prevailed.

"We usually accept the sovereignty of a country, but this will
not always happen with any new government, as was the case in
post-war Afghanistan," the minister said, referring to
Indonesia's current lack of recognition of Afghanistan's Hamid
Karzai.

"There are always certain areas or fields on which we have to
remain neutral. For example, the protection of the people. We
have to pay more attention to the protection of the Iraqi people
regardless of that country's political situation," he said.

Hassan also appreciated the people's strong opposition to the
war and the moral movement by religious communities to launch the
anti-war campaign before and during the attack on Iraq.

"All these are a good precedence for the nation to form a
consultation forum between the government and the people in
responding to all things concerning Indonesia and its friendly
countries in the future," he said.

But unlike the people and religious communities, the
government fell short of condemning the attack on Iraq. It
"strongly deplored" the war and called for the UN to hold a
general assembly to pressure the coalition forces to halt the
war.