Soeharto urges active Cambodian role in ASEAN
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto said yesterday he looked forward to Cambodia's participation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the near future.
"We sincerely hope that in the not-too-distant future, Cambodia will become a full-fledged ASEAN member," Soeharto said during his address at a dinner held in honor of visiting Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk.
Soeharto expressed his warm welcome regarding Cambodia's admission as an observer to ASEAN in July and said he hoped that, as a full member, Cambodia would actively participate in establishing peace and prosperity in the region.
ASEAN was formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei became the sixth member in 1984. Vietnam followed in July this year, as the first communist state to join the Association.
King Sihanouk, 72, and his wife Queen Monique arrived here yesterday morning for a three-day visit, his first state trip abroad since he was crowned Cambodian King.
He leads a 21-person entourage which includes Foreign Minister Ung Huot, Deputy Prime Minister Kong Som Ol and Sihanouk's private counselor Heng Samrin. Also traveling with the king are his eldest daughter, Norodom Buppha Devi, younger daughter Princess Norodom Arunrasmy and son Norodom Sihamoni.
This morning, King Sihanouk will pay a visit to Mrs Hartini Soekarno, widow of Indonesia's first president Sukarno and a close friend of the Cambodian monarch, before going on a tour of the Indonesia-in-Miniature Park, where he will see a documentary film on Indonesia at the Imax theater.
King Sihanouk led Cambodia to independence from France in 1953, relinquishing the throne in favor of father in 1955. In 1960 he became head of government until being overthrown in a civilian-military coup in 1970.
With the formulation of a new Cambodian constitution in 1993, King Sihanouk, who had been extremely fickle on the issue, finally accepted his coronation as king, on condition that he would receive only extremely limited executive powers.
Soeharto yesterday noted the importance of Cambodia to the stability of the region. "It is only with such a peaceful and orderly environment that Southeast Asian nations are able to carry out development aimed at improving their people's prosperity," he added.
Indonesia played a leading role in the peace process and reconciliation in formerly war-stricken Cambodia. Jakarta's contribution began by hosting the Jakarta Informal Meeting in 1988, which led to the signing of the peace agreement in Paris in 1991.
Indonesian troops were also a large contingent in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, and to this day the Indonesian Armed Forces continue to supply and train the Cambodian military.
Meanwhile in Padang, West Sumatra, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands ended her tour of Indonesia yesterday, departing for Singapore in the royal Fokker-28.
Beatrix was seen off by Indonesian Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno and West Sumatra Governor Hasan Basri Durin, Antara reported.
During her 11-day stay, Beatrix visited seven provinces. The Dutch monarch was accompanied on the tour by her husband, Prince Claus, and her son, Crown Prince William Alexander. (mds)