[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
THE NATION: Suharto, Ramos not lik
- Subject: THE NATION: Suharto, Ramos not lik
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 07:04:00
Politics
Suharto, Ramos not likely
to attend Asem
THE leaders of Indonesia and the
Philippines may not attend the second
Asia-Europe (Asem II) meeting scheduled
to be held in London early next month, an
informed source said Tuesday.
Indonesian President Suharto is likely to
send his newly-appointed Vice President
Jusuf Habibie to the meeting to be held
from April 1 to 5.
The source cited Suharto's poor health as
the main reason for him not participating.
Asem, launched in Bangkok two years ago,
is a forum of 10 Asian countries and 15
European Union nations.
The source also added that Suharto was
too busy with his country's economic
collapse that resulted in his government's
call for an International Monetary Fund (IMF)
bailout package.
Despite the aid, Indonesia's situation is
deteriorating mainly due to Suharto's strong
criticism of the IMF measures.
''Moreover it is believed that President
Suharto does not want to encounter
criticism about his attack on the IMF from
other countries' leaders. So he may use his
poor health as an excuse in not attending
the Asem II,'' the source said.
Meanwhile, Philippine President Fidel
Ramos may send his House Speaker Jose
Devenecia to the London meeting on his
behalf. The source said it was still unclear
why Ramos would not participate.
Asian countries due to participate in the
meeting are pushing hard for a separate
Asem II statement on the Asian crisis at the
end of the meeting but the idea has yet to
receive the backing of EU countries.
Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry source said
that Asem's European participants may
issue a separate statement on the Asian
financial situation to highlight the region's
concerns.
The source said senior officials of Asem's
coordinating countries -- Thailand, Japan,
the United Kingdom -- and the European
Commission had discussed the
preparation of a draft statement during a
two-day meeting which ended Tuesday.
However, the final decision would be left up
to the host of the second Asem meeting,
British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary
Saroj Chavanavirat chaired the two-day
meeting which focused on the draft of the
chairman's statement.
Senior officials of the coordinating
countries are scheduled to meet again on
April 1 which will be followed by a meeting
of all 25 participating countries in Asem,
plus the European Commission, on April 2
in London.
The Nation