Suharto fully backs Burma's Than Sh

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Subject: Suharto fully backs Burma's Than Shwe

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Subject: Suharto fully backs Burma's Than Shwe

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Subject: IN: KMP - President Reconfirms Support for Myanmar 

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http://kompas.com/9702/23/ENGLISH/pre2.htm

[Kompas Online]

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                          Sunday, 23 February 1997
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President Reconfirms His Support for Myanmar

Yangoon, Kompas Online

At the end of his visit to Myanmar, President Soeharto reconfirmed
Indonesia's support for Myanmar to become a full ASEAN member. Indonesia
does not see any obstacle anymore for the membership of either Myanmar,
Cambodia or Laos into ASEAN. Therefore Indonesia expects that the three
countries can soonest be accepted.

The clarification of the Head of State was conveyed in his talk with the
Chairman of the Board for State's Restoration of Law and Order (SLORC) of
the Myanmar Union, General Than Shwe at the Pyithu Hluttaw Parliament
Building, Yangoon, Myanmar, Saturday (22/2). At that moment both leaders
were accompanied by ministers and other high officials of both countries.

Kompas journalist Rien Kuntari reported this evening from Yangoon, that the
clarification of the Head of State was conveyed by the State Minister
Moerdiono and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas separately at the
State's Guest House or Sein La-Kantha. The clarification of the Head of
State at the same time ended the series of visits to Cambodia, Laos and
Myanmar for a week from 17-23 February.

Sunday (23/2) this morning the Head of State and his party will formally
take leave from the Chairman of SLORC General Than Shwe, to return to
Indonesia. The President is expected to leave for the international airport
Yangon at 09.30 hours local time.

Thirty minutes later the Boeing 737 which carries the Head of State will
take off and land at the Fatherland at 14.00 West Indonesia time.

Important visit

Either State Minister Moerdiono or the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas confirmed that the visit of the Head of State to Myanmar this time
was an important visit. According to the State Minister, both leaders
believed that this visit could deepen mutual understanding and friendship,
also the agreement to increase cooperation in the future.

This must however be balanced with exchange of thoughts of the two
governments, high officials and the enterprising world. "Because it happened
after 22 years. So the first visit of Mr President was in 74, and it only
now succeeded," Minister Alatas added.

According to the State Minister, President Soeharto clarified, eventhough
Indonesia has reached development as at the present stage, but Indonesia is
still not able to give more support to other copuntries, particularly seen
from the ability and financial side, particularly to Myanmar. "But we are
always willing to share experiences with other countries," said the
minister.

The President, continued the State Minister, stressed the importance of
Indonesia's support in the full ASEAN membership of Myanmar. Moerdiono
explained that the ASEAN membership used certain economic criteria,
particularly the internal political system in a country. He said that viewed
from the economic side, Myanmar was very prepared already to enter into
ASEAN.

Nevertheless, the State Minister did not clarify a certain time for the
acceptance of Myanmar. The Minister referred to the informal meeting of
ASEAN leaders in Jakarta, November 1996. At that time the ASEAN Informal
Summit Conference only resolved to accept Myanmar together with Cambodia and
Laos soonest in 1997. "But the Government Heads of ASEAN will determine when
the three can be accepted," Moerdiono clarified.

According to Alatas, Myanmar only touched at a glance her wish to enter
ASEAN in the meeting with President Soeharto. Myanmar once more expressed
her high appreciation and gratitude for Indonesia's support. Therefore,
Myanmar also did not touch the time of acceptance in ASEAN, like Cambodia
which was convinced to be accepted in ASEAN in July 1997.

"Myanmar did not mention the time. I think that they know that the process
is now going on, and they know Indonesia's position, that as far as
Indonesia is concerned, the quicker the better, so it does not form a
problem, but because the process is going on, and the process is one which
we usually perform towards new candidates, hopefully it can be finished
before July," said Alatas.

Minister Alatas added that until this moment the Western countries are still
questioning the entering of Myanmar as an ASEAN member. Europe even
particularly wanted that the problem be entered into the formal agenda of
the ASEAN-EU meeting or ASEM. The ASEAN however always rejected said wish.
Therefore, the discussion about Myanmar either in the ASEAN-EU forum or ASEM
was always informal. Economic cooperation.

Separately, Minister Alatas added that the first aim of the visit was to
study the possibilities to increase cooperation on economy and trade. He
said that eventhough RI-Myanmar had reached many MoU, it has however not yet
reached technical problems.

Besides that, many things still had to be developed in said cooperation,
because all these times it was only about agriculture, forestry, fishery and
cattle breeding, cooperation in training programs for civil aviation, and
oil and gas. "So we have agreed to quicken the settlement of such
cooperations. Then will be chased agreements for trade and banking
arrangements," he clarified.

Therefore RI-Myanmar has signed a MoU between PT Citra Lamtorgung with the
Union of Myanmar Economic Holding, one of Myanmar's state enterprises,
respectively represented by Mrs Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and Major General
Than Oo. The signing which was witnessed by President Soeharto and the SLORC
Chairman General Than Shwe was for the investment of a flour mill
development. Besides that was also signed a MoU between PT Tri Putra, the
affiliated company of IPTN with Myanmar Airways for domestic flights with
planes supplied by IPTN.

It was clarified that this economic cooperation was important, because all
this time RI-Myanmar trade was not directly performed but via Singapore or
Malaysia. "So that it did not enter into our statistics. Well, we shall try
to change it to do more direct trade," the Minister of Foreign Affairs
explained.

According to Alatas, in Myanmar is at the moment noted cooperation in oil
and gas to perform exploitation in the oil fields or secondary operation.
Namely exploration in almost exhausted oil fields with new technology or
secondary recovery.

Besides that, PT Astra, PT Sampoerna which made a joint venture with Myanmar
Tobacco, then Astra Petro Nusa which made an operation contract at oil
fields in the hinterland. Also Astra's automative division, and BDNI had
opened representatives at the beginning of 1996, and Prima Komeksindo and PT
Semen Cibinong. While Pertamina and Gadjah Tunggal are at the moment in the
negotiation stage. Myanmar's internal affairs.

The State Minister as wel as the Minister of Foreign Affairs clarified that
in the meeting with President Soeharto Myanmar explained the development of
Myanmar's internal affairs since the beginning of the Myanmar government
until this time. Explained was also the decrease of armed units which
disturbed Myanmar, of the 17 units, 16 of them already returned to the
society.

Answering questions about Aung San Syu Kyi, State Minister Moerdiono said
that the SLORC Chairman General Than Shwe already had explained the problem
to President Soeharto. "I feel that Mr President understands what was
explained by the Board's Chairman," said Moerdiono. It was said that all
this time the Myanmar government had tried to make approaches with Aung San
Syu Kyi.

"But the result is what we witness until now. Of course Mr President is as
usual, as is the base of our foreign policy, not to interfere in the
internal affairs of another country, we fully believe that the government
and people in concern can solve the problems which they face," said the
State Minister.

Alatas clarified, President Soeharto totally did not brought forward the
problem of Aung San Syu Kyi or the internal condition of Myanmar in a direct
way. This was only done to uphold the ASEAN spirit which will respect the
sovereignty of another state and not interfere in the internal affairs of a
state.

"Because our position is, that we consider this a matter which we normally
do. So what we do is to convey the results of the debates and talks in
Singapore. Factually I have conveyed it with all positions, views and
expectations which was brought forward by the western countries. And the
ASEAN answers on said positions, views and expectations," he clarified.

In unison with the State Minister, Alatas stressed that in order to overcome
said situation, the SLORC had repeatedly approached Aung San Syu Kyi for a
dialogue, but had until now not succeeded yet. Answering the possibility
that Indonesia would become the mediator for both parties, Alatas said that
it was possible if there was a request from outside.

Alatas clarified that Indonesia's attitude in supporting Myanmar to become
an ASEAN member had no relation with Aung San Syu Kyi's letter which was
sent to almost all ASEAN leaders, requesting the postponement of Myanmar's
acceptance. "Because our attitude was since long before that letter, since
the beginning our attitude was like this," said Alatas.

"As I explained, Indonesia and Asia will not and will never relate internal
problems as a pre-condition or criteria to the entering of said country as a
new member of ASEAN. We will also not and never touch something which we
consider as a political or econmomic system of a country, because we
consider it a basic principle, namely to respect a principle and economy of
a country. We will never try to enter it or propose to change it," Alatas
ascertained. (*)