Soeharto meets with CIA chief

Soeharto meets with CIA chief

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto met with the American Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) director, John Deutch, here yesterday.

Chief of the Coordinating Agency for Indonesian Intelligence
Lt. Gen. Moetojib, who was present at the meeting, said Deutch
wanted to gain a better understanding of Indonesia.

"We can use this sort of occasion to explain Indonesia's point
of view on issues that other sources may have discredited us
for," Moetojib said.

President Soeharto briefed Deutch, who arrived here on
Wednesday, on Indonesia's development policy, said Moetojib.

Soeharto said that Indonesia considers political stability a
prerequisite for its development programs.

They also discussed the need for each member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to maintain
internal stability in order to strengthen regional stability.

Indonesian officials want more of such talks so the CIA would
not rely only on the foreign sources whose reports often
intentionally "discredit Indonesia."

Deutch, who arrived in Jakarta after visits to Japan and South
Korea, is the first CIA director to visit Indonesia for talks,
Moetojib said.

Deutch will leave today, Moetojib said. (pan)