Soeharto looks to meeting with Bolger
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday said a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister James Bolger in Jakarta later this month bodes well for closer bilateral ties.
"I hope the visit will provide a valuable opportunity for the two of us to discuss how we should further strengthen relations between the two countries and to exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest," Soeharto said when accepting the letter of credential of Timothy Groser, the new New Zealand ambassador to Indonesia, at the Merdeka Palace.
As news about the visit became public in Wellington, 51 of New Zealand's members of parliament yesterday said they would press Bolger to raise the East Timor issue with Soeharto in Jakarta, Reuters reported yesterday.
The MPs also signed a petition protesting Indonesia's policy in East Timor. The statement was presented to the Indonesian ambassador in Wellington, Tengku Dahlia Soemolang.
Bolger is slated to visit Indonesia on May 16 as part of a tour of the region, according to official sources.
Soeharto in his speech said Indonesia and New Zealand have worked together through various forums to promote stability and the welfare of the people in the Asia Pacific region.
He referred specifically to the cooperative relations New Zealand has established with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Indonesia is a member, and their memberships in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which is now chaired by Indonesia.
"The upcoming leadership meeting of APEC countries in Indonesia will be crucial in promoting cooperation in this region," Soeharto said referring to the annual APEC talks scheduled for November.
He also expressed gratitude for New Zealand's support of Indonesia's bid for one of the rotating seats at the United Nations' Security Council, which becomes available next year.
Indonesia has been campaigning for the seat since the start of the year and a decision is expected at the UN General Assembly, which begins in September.
Soeharto yesterday also accepted the letter of credentials of Johann Richard Demel, the new Austrian ambassador to Indonesia, and Klaus Peter Schamallenbach, the chief representative of the European Commission.
In his speech before Demel, the President reiterated the need for Indonesia and Austria to build ties based on common responsibility, mutual help, mutual respect and mutual benefit.
"International relations and cooperation should no longer be based on the pattern of giver and receiver and there should be no political strings attached," he said.
Austria is a member of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), a multinational consortium of aid donors.
While congratulating Austria for joining the European Union this year, Soeharto also asked that both Austria and the European Union do not impose protectionist barriers on Indonesian products.
Soeharto yesterday also received a courtesy call from TH. ZH. Choikhor, a special envoy of the Mongolian president.
Choikhor presented a letter from his president extending an invitation for Soeharto to visit Mongolia.
While not giving any firm response, Soeharto during the meeting agreed on the need for the two countries to promote their ties and cooperation in all fields, Choikhor told reporters.
He added that it would not be long before the two countries would open diplomatic representative offices in their respective capitals if they continue to promote ties. (emb)