U.S. offers F-16 fighters to RI

WASHINGTON (JP): U.S. President Bill Clinton offered the sale of F-16 fighters to Indonesia during his nearly one-hour meeting with President Soeharto at the White House on Friday.

"President Clinton said the United States is ready to sell a number of F-16 aircraft to Indonesia," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told reporters after the meeting.

Clinton was accompanied by Vice President Al Gore, Assistant to the President for Economic Policies Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Assistant to the President for National Security Anthony Lake, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor and Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown in his meeting with Soeharto.

The Indonesian leader was accompanied by Moerdiono, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Chief of the Armed Forces General Feisal Tanjung, Ambassador to the United States Arifin M. Siregar and Ambassador Nana Sutresna.

Moerdiono quoted Soeharto as saying that he realizes Indonesia's need to modernize its military facilities but since the people's welfare remains the top priority of development, budgetary allocations for military spendings are severely limited.

"However, Indonesia will seriously consider buying the F-16 aircraft if the United States offers favorable terms of sales, which, for example, include the provision of soft loans such as export credits with a low interest rate," said Soeharto, who came to the White House with his own official bullet-proof limousine specially airlifted from Jakarta.

Moerdiono did not specify the number of the aircraft offered to Indonesia.

Earlier reports said that the United States planned to sell more than 20 F-16s to Indonesia but a number of U.S. congressmen opposed the plan, arguing that Indonesia needed to improve its protection of human rights. Congress later approved the U.S. administration's plan to sell the aircraft to Indonesia.

Indonesia bought a squadron of F-16 fighters from the United States in the early 1990s under an offset arrangement which allows the state-owned aircraft company PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara to manufacture F-16 components for the United States.

Rights

According to Moerdiono, Clinton appreciated Indonesia's efforts to improve the protection of intellectual property rights through the introduction of new laws.

Clinton also discussed human rights in Indonesia, including East Timor, and suggested that the country continue its efforts to improve human rights protection, the minister said.

Soeharto acknowledged to Clinton that some parties in the United States object to big projects in Indonesia, like the expansion of a copper mine in Irian Jaya and a natural gas liquefaction plant in Natuna, Riau, on fears that their construction and operation might violate human rights and damage the environment.

Expansion of the Irian Jaya copper mine is now conducted by an affiliate of Freeport Inc. of the United States, while Exxon, also of the United States, plans to set up natural gas liquefying facilities in Natuna to process huge natural gas resources from its concession area offshore Natuna.

President Soeharto assured that every industrial project -- big and small -- in Indonesia is required to prepare an analysis on its impact on the environment and to pay attention to the rights of people whose land will be affected by the project.

"Indonesia itself has interest to protect its environment in light of its policy on sustainable development," Soeharto said.

Moerdiono said Soeharto also proposed that the United States support efforts to revitalize the United Nations through reform, restructuring and financial contribution.

According to the United Nations Secretariat, the overdue budget assessments of member countries reached US$3.2 billion as of Oct. 9, most of which was owed by the United States.

The United Nations system needs total operating expenses of $18.2 billion a year, for which the United states is expected to contribute 15 percent, Japan 13.9 percent, Germany 8.9 percent, France 6.3 percent, Russia 5.7 percent and Britain 5.3 percent. The United Nations peacekeeping operations alone last year needed $3.2 billion.

Soeharto also urged Clinton to support the Non-Aligned Movement's efforts to look for the reduction of the multilateral debts of least-developed countries.

Moerdiono said that Soeharto wants the United States to support the steps of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to overcome the debt burdens of least-developed nations. (riz)