Soeharto holds talks with Bolkiah and Anwar

JP/oby, JP/alx

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto held separate talks with Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at his residence on Jl. Cendana here yesterday.

Officials refused to give details of either meeting. They only said the three leaders focused on the economic crisis blighting the region.

Journalists were not allowed to cover the talks between Anwar and Soeharto.

"The main purpose of the Sultan's visit was to offer Idul Fitri greetings to the President and Vice President Try Sutrisno," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said after seeing off the Sultan at Halim Perdanakusumah Airport.

"Of course the President used the occasion to brief the Sultan on our current economic crisis and the steps we are taking to overcome it," he said.

The Sultan and his entourage arrived here yesterday morning. He was greeted personally by Soeharto at the latter's residence (photo below right). He left the country in the afternoon.

During the meeting, Bolkiah was accompanied by his younger brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah, and Soeharto by Moerdiono.

Brunei pledged US$1.2 billion in a bilateral loan to Indonesia in November in a bid to shore up the latter's sinking economy. Malaysia pledged $1 billion despite its own economic problems.

"The purpose of Anwar's visit was to inform the President of Mahathir's tour to the region," a reliable source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said yesterday.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Soeharto met here last month. Mahathir proposed Southeast Asian countries use their own currencies instead of U.S. dollars in their bilateral trade.

AFP reported that Mahathir embarked yesterday on a tour to Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore to discuss the regional economic crisis with fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Anwar was sent to Jakarta, Japan and Taiwan. On his arrival here he was greeted by Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhamad (photo below left).

"This is a routine visit," Anwar told journalists shortly before meeting with Soeharto.

Soeharto has met with several international leaders recently, including the chairman of the International Monetary Fund Michel Camdessus, Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn.

"These visits prove that our country plays a key role in this region," a government official said recently. (prb)