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)