Soeharto concerned over conflicts in Islamic states

BANDUNG (JP): President Soeharto yesterday expressed concern over violent conflicts in several Islamic states, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We view with concern armed conflicts in a number of countries including Palestine and Israel, Iraq and the Kurds, as well as hostilities in Afghanistan," he said at the opening of the 14th conference of the Islamic chamber of commerce and industry.

"We all share the hope that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) plays a greater role in promoting the development of its member countries and takes an active part in establishing world peace," he said.

He said Indonesia, with its "active and independent" foreign policy, strove hard to participate in the creation of a world order based on independence, peace and justice, as mandated by the Indonesian 1945 Constitution.

Soeharto said the Asia-Pacific region was full of hope for sustainable economic growth that would improve the region's prosperity.

"Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, three Asian countries which are predominately Moslems, are actively engaged in developing themselves.

"Our Moslem brothers and sisters in Mindanao have consciously and rightly abandoned force and established peace to pave the way for development aimed at improving people's welfare,'' he said.

"Our brothers and sisters in Bosnia have also opted for peace".

In another part of his speech, Soeharto told Moslem businessmen and industrialists to work to enhance common prosperity.

He said that by focusing on development, the OIC would not only become a respected political force but gradually become an organization of economic cooperation and help Moslems prosper.

"Hopefully, this meeting will be able to seek solutions to the backwardness suffered by OIC member states, and mankind in general, through better organized economic cooperation," he said.

Although the conference was opened in Bandung, today's forum will be at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Organized by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Middle East and OIC Committee and the Center for Information and Development Studies, the conference is being held concurrently with the first International Islamic book-fair and an exhibition of halal (religiously permissible) products.

The conference, which ends on Oct. 23, is being held before the 52-member OIC's ministerial meeting scheduled for December in Jakarta. (17/swe)