RI's Cuba policy cleared up

In your editorial Mega's role in APEC (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 23) you suggested, I hope inadvertently, that the visit of President Megawati to Cuba would irritate Washington.

This claim does not serve to the historical and friendly links that Cuba and Indonesia have developed during many decades as Third World countries with a common agenda in the Non Aligned Movement to which both countries are founding members, and to whose development Indonesia and president Sukarno especially, greatly contributed.

That allegation would only provide too much of a pragmatic (in order not to say cynical) interpretation of the role of Indonesia as a sovereign nation or is not based on the values of the foreign policy that the government so proudly defends, based on the principles of national independence, sovereignty, self- determination and equal rights among states.

Some people have become used to seeing events not in the light of principles but in the light of political or economic convenience, therefore losing self-respect and even worse they disrespect their own country. Furthermore, trying to carry out Indonesia's foreign policy according to the perception of what Washington may or may not like not only damages the prestige of Indonesia, but also contribute to the policy of economic blockade and isolation that the U.S have carried out against Cuba for more than four decades.

I am convinced that it would not be any mistake for President Megawati to go to the countries that president Sukarno visited, on the contrary, it would help President Megawati to have more elements to understand the relevant role president Sukarno played during the 1950s and 1960s and why he carried out and defended an independent foreign policy that made him visit Cuba in 1961.

Particularly at this juncture, when friends in need are friends indeed, and when this country that should not be irritated is raising warnings against traveling to Indonesia, Cuba reaffirms its total solidarity with Indonesia and to the actions carried out by the Megawati administration.

Your newspaper has been an important promoter of reform in many aspects of the Indonesian life, including the promotion of many laws to strengthen the democratic roots of your society. I believe it will also be a great contribution for your newspaper to strongly support the need for a more responsible media, one that should not be tempted to publish unconfirmed reports.

I have highlighted this issue because the Foreign Ministry officials that could have advised President Megawati to desist visiting Cuba, (as mentioned in the editorial) have absolutely denied ever mentioning to the Post anything of that kind, which is totally running counter their foreign policy principles and their position of friendship with Cuba.

MIGUEL ANGEL RAMIREZ

Ambassador

Cuban Embassy

Jakarta