Soeharto's views on Bogor's declaration win support

Soeharto's views on Bogor's declaration win support

JAKARTA (JP): Economic leaders from Japan, Singapore and
Taiwan came out in support yesterday of President Soeharto's
views on the declaration to be adopted by APEC leaders in Bogor
tomorrow, a senior Indonesian official said yesterday.

Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, Singaporean Premier
Goh Chok Tong and Taiwan State Minister Vincent Siew met
separately with Soeharto yesterday to discuss the final
preparations of the APEC economic leaders meeting.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told journalists that
Murayama, who arrived here on Saturday, also affirmed his
commitment to help make the meeting a success.

"I would like to stress that the Bogor declaration will be the
conclusion of the economic leaders' views as presented by their
special delegates," he said.

Moerdiono said Soeharto and Murayama agreed to strengthen
their cooperation in the future. The prime minister also
reaffirmed Japan's commitment to continuing assistance, he added.

Japan is Indonesia's largest donor through the Consultative
Group on Indonesia (CGI), a consortium of aid donor countries. It
is also the largest investor in Indonesia.

On a separate occasion, a spokesman for the Japanese foreign
ministry, Takeshi Nakane, confirmed the discussion about the
Bogor declaration between Soeharto and Murayama.

"This (declaration draft) is subject to further deliberation
by the leaders," he said. But he added he was "not in a position
to disclose the conversation about this matter."

"Prime Minister Murayama stated that Japan hopes an informal
leaders meeting can take place next year as well, and President
Soeharto supported this hope," he said.

Moerdiono said that the President received Taiwan's Siew in
the framework of APEC economic leaders.

Indonesia has a one-China policy and has refrained from
inviting Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui's to attend the economic
leaders meeting in Bogor to avoid any possibility of offending
China. (mds/pan)

Interdependence -- Page 4