> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 13:48:35 -0400 > Subject: Fwd(2): Protests may make Suharto may jam out on APEC > > Source: CP/AP > > Protests might keep Indonesian leader away from Asia-Pacific summit > > JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Indonesia's president might not attend an > Asia-Pacific leaders' summin in Canada in November because of possible > protests over his country's human rights record in the troubled territory > of East Timor, the foreign minister said Wednesday. > > Ali Alatas said President Suharto had yet to decide whether to go to the > 18 country Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in Vancouver -- the > region's biggest annual diplomatic event. > > Alatas said Indonesian officials would gauge how serious any protests > against Suharto might be in Canada, where there is a vocal netowrk of > activists who want independence for East Timor. > > "If our conclusion is that it could get out of hand then why should we > subject the president to such indignites?" Alatas told the Jakarta > Foreign Correspondents' Club. > > However he indicated that the president would not be bothered by > "demonstrations that are well under control in accordance with the law of > the land." > > APEC groups Canada, the United States, Japan, China, Australia and most > countries of Southeast Asia. > > Alatas said Suharto, a 76-year-old former army general who has governed > Indonesia for 31 years, believed that overseas official visits should > produce good will, not friction between nations. > > Alatas said this was one reason Suharto also had no plans to visit > neighbouring Australia where protests over the plight of East TImor are > common despite close co-operation on other political and economic issues. > > East Timor has been wracked by civil unrest, pro-independence guerilla > warfare and human rights abuse since Indonesia invaded the former > Portugese colony in 1975. Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1976 and claims > it as its 27th province. > > The United Nations, currently host to talks between Indonesia and > Portugal over the territory's future, does not recognize Indonesia's > sovereignty there. > >
