U.S. praises security in Indonesia

U.S. praises security in Indonesia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce praised the
Indonesian government on Monday for its efforts to protect
foreign investors in the country, including Americans, but warned
that investors were still concerned about the security of their
investments.

Boyce acknowledged that the Indonesian government had taken
serious steps to ensure the personal safety of American investors
and other foreigners, who appeared at risk several months ago
during the political tension following the U.S.-led war against
Afghanistan's Taliban regime.

"We take seriously the government's responsibility to protect
Americans -- not only Americans but also other foreigners in
Indonesia. We welcome it."

But, he said, "Investors will come to Indonesia not based on
fears, somehow, that they would be physically threatened, but
rather in the hope that the capital invested in Indonesia would
be secure and that means transparency, rule of law, protection
legally, etc.," Boyce told a press conference.

Some local radical groups threatened to attack U.S. interests
and citizens in Indonesia following the U.S. government's move to
strike at Afghanistan several months ago.

Some U.S. companies temporarily closed their offices here
following the threats.

But the government was quick to give assurances about the
safety of foreign workers in Indonesia.

Boyce, along with 12 members of the American Chamber of
Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore, earlier met with President
Megawati Soekarnoputri and Minister of Trade and Industry Rini M.
Soewandi.

The AmCham delegation is in Indonesia for a two-day visit to
assess business opportunities in this country. The delegation is
led by AmCham Singapore president Landis W. Hicks.

The delegates include Tan Hup Thye from Refco Singapore Pte
Ltd., Stuart Dean of GE International, and Edward Gilbert of
Merrill Lynch (Asia Pacific) Ltd.

"The Singapore-based members of this mission want to hear from
senior members of the Indonesian government about efforts to
expand foreign business participation in the economy. We know
that Indonesia is a country of enormous potential and believe
that now is the time to build our future together," Hicks said in
a statement.

Meanwhile, Rini said after a meeting with the AmCham
delegation that almost all of the delegation members had praised
the current security situation in the country.

Rini said she had pointed to the Batam and Bintan islands as
secure places for doing business, citing the small number of
labor disputes in both islands.