Soeharto offers help for peace

Soeharto offers help for peace

By Rikza Abdullah

ZAGREB (JP): President Soeharto made a brief junket from here to the embattled Sarajevo yesterday to offer his good offices to the current international drive for peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

There was a brief tense moment during his four hours stay in the Bosnian capital as the United Nations' chartered plane that was to take him out was shot at as it was landing in Sarajevo.

"There were a few shots fired from Stup (a suburb bordering the airport). The plane definitely was not hit," said UN spokeswoman Captain Miriam Souchaki. The plane later left with Soeharto on board safely, according to Reuters.

Soeharto, who is also the chairman of the 111-nation Non- Aligned Movement (NAM), held talks with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic to discuss the situation in the former Yugoslavian republic that has been torn by four years of ethnic war.

His visit, albeit short, has added a new dimension to international peace diplomacy, which to date had been largely dominated by European countries and the United States.

Details of the discussion between Soeharto and Izetbegovic were not available as of last night but on Sunday, at a banquet hosted by Croatian Prime Minister Nikica Valentic, the Indonesian leader offered his services to help bring about peace in both Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

Soeharto and his entourage flew to Sarajevo from Zagreb in the afternoon after the local UN forces obtained assurances from Bosnia's warring factions concerning his safety.

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel was prevented from traveling to the city last month after receiving veiled Serbian threats to his safety.

Despite the guarantee and the assurance from the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), President Soeharto and his 21-member entourage were still required to sign papers stating that they were responsible for their own safety.

They were also required to put on bullet-proof vests.

"Sarajevo is safe today. But I can say that President Soeharto is very brave to travel to Sarajevo at this time," UNPROFOR director of information Michael Williams told reporters in Zagreb. He recalled that there were sniper attacks against civilians in Sarajevo over the weekend.

Soeharto flew on board a Russian-made, three-engine Jak-40 aircraft flown by 34-year-old Russian pilot Voronine Evegueni.

Before taking off, Evegueni said he had flown many leaders to Sarajevo, including UN Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Ghali and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

Soeharto's entourage included Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Chief of the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung, the chief executive assistant to the NAM chairman, Nana Sutresna, and the chief of Indonesia's mission to the United Nations, Nugroho Wisnumurti.

Two Indonesian journalists, representing Radio Republik Indonesia and the Antara news agency, joined the delegation.

Soeharto's trip to Sarajevo was in doubt earlier after a plane bringing Yasushi to Sarajevo on Sunday was hit by gunfire.

Calm

Calm prevailed at the airport when Soeharto arrived at midday to a welcome by Akashi. The two held a meeting for about 25 minutes before Soeharto and his entourage were transported on bullet proof military personnel vehicles to the center of the city where he was met by Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic.

"Not a single firing shot was heard on our way to the palace," an Antara reporter told his Indonesian colleagues in Zagreb.

Soeharto was greeted by Izetbegovic at the presidential palace with a military ceremony. A crowd of about 200 people watched and greeted his arrival outside the palace.

UNPROFOR military spokesman Lt.Col. Gary Coward said in Sarajevo that an increased North Atlantic Treaty Organization air presence had been requested for Monday over Sarajevo, along with other special measures to ensure Soeharto's safety. French UN troops were also deployed around the presidency in downtown Sarajevo Monday, AFP reported.

Soeharto had gone to Sarajevo chiefly in the hope of obtaining first-hand information about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Minister State/Secretary Moerdiono said in Zagreb that at the dinner meeting on Sunday, Soeharto assured Croatian Prime Minister Valentic that Indonesia would help all parties involved in conflicts in the former states of Yugoslavia to find a peaceful solution.

"But Indonesia cannot solve the problem without the active role of the leaders of the parties directly involved in the conflicts," Soeharto was quoted by Moerdiono as saying.

Valentic told Soeharto that Croatia needs peace and wants a peaceful solution to the current conflict.

"A comprehensive solution is needed and recognition, therefore, is important for the independence of the former states of Yugoslavia," he said.

Yesterday morning, Soeharto held a tete-a-tete meeting with Croatian President Franjo Tudjman for talks largely focusing on improving bilateral ties between the two countries.

Soeharto also met with members of the Garuda XIV, the Indonesian military contingent taking part in the UN peacekeeping mission in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He met with Lt. Col. Heridadi, the commander of the 219-strong health battalion, and Lt. Col. Suhartono and Lt. Col Nathi Harun, who are members of the Indonesian corps of police and military observers.

The President presented them with parcels containing food and cigarettes "for the boys", Antara reported.

He also asked the troopers to keep up the good work and reminded them that they are flying the national flag.