Soeharto to attend next week's OIC summit

Soeharto to attend next week's OIC summit

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto is scheduled to attend the
eighth summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in
Tehran, Iran, from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Alatas said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with President Soeharto
here, Alatas said he and Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono would
accompany the President.

"This summit is important. There are many problems to be faced
because the summit is held only once every three years," said
Alatas.

Palace officials confirmed the visit yesterday but added that
Moerdiono would officially announce it at a later date.

Alatas bid farewell to the President at the latter's residence
on Jl. Cendana yesterday. Soeharto will leave for Tehran today
for a foreign ministerial meeting scheduled to run from Dec. 6 to
Dec. 7.

He said leaders of the 55 member states would deliberate
external and internal topics and issues concerning the
organization and its member states.

External topics to be discussed include the crisis in the
Middle East such as the standoff in the peace process between
Palestine and Israel and between Syria and Lebanon, the Iraqi
crisis, conflict in Afghanistan, conflict in Somali, and the
latest situation in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

In the economic field, topics to be discussed include the need
for the OIC to consider a more routine interaction with the
European Union, besides other big economic groupings such as the
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA).

Alatas said the OIC would also discuss internal issues such as
the organization's US$15 million debt, which he said was a result
of some member states' failure to contribute their membership
fees.

"For the OIC, $15 million is big. But from an absolute point
of view, we will be able to overcome the problem," he told
reporters.

Alatas also said yesterday there would be 132 drafts of
resolutions to be discussed in the fields of politics, economy,
social, culture, administration and finance.

Iran would chair the summit as the host.

Alatas said informal leaders meetings and other bilateral
meetings would be held during the conference.

AFP reported yesterday that Indonesia will offer US$2 million
to the Palestinian Authority during the OIC summit.

The news agency quoted Iran's official news agency IRNA as
saying that the donation would be handed over to Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat.

It will be Arafat's first visit to Iran in 15 years. (aan/prb)