Soeharto sends condolences

Soeharto sends condolences

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto sent a personal letter to Israel yesterday offering condolences over the death of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said.

The letter was addressed to Israel's Acting Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Moerdiono told reporters in Nusa Dua, Bali, after accompanying the President at the opening of a regional advertising conference, Antara reported.

In his letter, the President underscored Indonesia's support for the establishment of a lasting peace in the Middle East and said that he hoped that Rabin's death would not derail the peace process, Moerdiono said.

Soeharto met with Rabin as recently as Oct. 21 in New York, while the two leaders were attending the 50th anniversary session of the United Nations. At the meeting, Rabin told Soeharto about the latest developments in the Middle East peace process.

The encounter was Soeharto's second meeting with Rabin. The first was two years ago. There are no diplomatic ties between Indonesia and Israel. (emb)