Phnom Penh – President Soeharto clarified that the developing countries need to increase cooperation to support solidarity to overcome arising problems. This is important, because the changes which happen in the world are still more profitable for the advanced industrial countries.
"The developing countries, of which a major part of the population still forms mankind's majority which is still repressed by poverty and backwardness. The movement ahead of the developing countries is still delayed due to limitted capital, technological backwardness and lack of qualified human resources," said the Head of State.
Kompas journalist Rien Kuntari reported this evening from Phnom Penh that the Head of State's clarification was conveyed at the state's dinner by King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Monineath at Preah Tineang Chan, another part of the Cambodian King's Palace, Monday (17/2).
"Except one or two countries, the developing countries are in general not yet ready to face the open economic era and the ever stricter competition, which becomes a main characteristic in the coming century. These imbalances are not impossible one of the world's concerns in the future," the President continued.
He clarified that in such a situation, for the long term, there is not one state or group of states which will have profit, including the advanced industrial countries. Therefore, all international societies must fight shoulder to shoulder to build a fairer, more balanced world and to guarantee welfare for whole mankind.
"In such a condition, the developing countries need to increase cooperation to support solidarity in overcoming arising problems," the Head of State clarified.
Warm welcome
Exactly at 10.55 hours local time (same with West Indonesia time). the Boeing 737 of Garuda Indonesia landed at Pochentong airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At the same time was played the Prashit Forrest (Magic Forest) which was played in the open air by live music.
The song composed by King Norodom Sihanouk was played in a slow tempo by the local band of the Department of Culture of Cambodia with the Cambodian vocaliste Sin Sovan Nary. Some moments later another Cambodian singer Pok Sam on sang Bengawan Solo composed by Gesang perfectly.
Before they also presented the Indonesian regional song Mande-mande followed by another composition of King Sihanouk, Phnom Penh, My Love, which was composed around the 1960's.
While along the road to the airport and the grounds around the airport it was crowded with people and Cambodian school children with a uniform of white blended with a dark blue trouser or skirt. They who were already prepared since 09.00 o'clock, brought the red-and-white flag in the right and the Cambodian flag in the left hand, while displaying posters with the picture of President Soeharto and King Sihanouk.
At the airport ground stood various groups of the Cambodian people, including the Cambodian Moslem group which represented around 500,000 other citizens.
As soon as the plane's door was opened, the President, escorted by the State's Minister and Secretary Moerdiono, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Mrs Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, and Mrs Siti Hediati Hariadi Prabowo, and Major General Prabowo Subianto who was earlier in Cambodia, were welcomed by King Sihanouk, the Parliament Chairman Chea Sim, the First Premier Ranariddh and the 2nd Premier Hun Sen at the staircase of the plane.
As if by command, simultaneously, the community around the airport directly welcomed with shouts and laughing while waving the flags and flowers in all colours. King Sihanouk directly extended his hand to President Soeharto and slowly they went on the red carpet to the honorary platform for the welcome ceremony.
The Indonesian anthem Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia) was played followed by Noko Reach (Royal Kingdom) King Sihanouk then invited the President to the Fan room. At the Fan room's door the President clasped his hands on his chest, smiled and bowed a little, answering the respects paid by the Cambodian youth who kneeled and bowed very low. They all used Cambodian dresses au kontrong neng somput cong keben.
At the open Fan room President Soeharto was introduced to the whole Cabinet of the Cambodian government, who were all using the white au kontrong and turmeric yellow neng somput cong keben.
After the introduction the Head of State directly went to the President Palace. At the corner of the Preah Norodom road a group of youngsters was welcoming the President with jazz music.
Gratitude
After the meeting, at the meeting room of the Moha Prasat Khemarin Palace, the State Minister and Secretary Moerdiono informed that upon arrival in Cambodia the President directly met King Norodom Sihanouk. The afternoon the Head of State received a courtesy call from the Chairman of the Cambodian Parliament Chea Sim, the Ist Premier Prince Norodom Ranaariddh, and the IInd Premier Hun Sen.
He said that Prince Sihanouk repeatedly disclosed the gratitude of the Cambodian people for Indonesia's big role in the reunification of Cambodia. On the other hand President Soeharto stressed that his visit to Cambodia this time was very historic. The Head of State visited Cambodia about 29 years ago, several hours after the assignment as President at that time.
Besides that, the occasion was used by both leaders to clarify the developments of each country. President Soeharto stressed the similarity in the development process of both countries. Therefore Indonesia was willing to share its experience on development with Cambodia.
Touching the experience of the settlement of Cambodia, Prince Sihanouk stressed again President Soeharto's big role since the time of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mochtar Kusumaatmadja until the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas. He stressed that RI's involvement this time was more caused by Indonesia's wish in dedicating the Preambule of the 1945 Constitution.
Through this Preambule of the 1945 Constitution, Indonesia clarified the need to be involved in erecting world order based on social and eternal peace.
While at the meeting with the Chairman of the Parliament Chea Sim, the Ist Premier Ranariddh and the IInd Premier Hun Sen, accordinmg to Moerdiono, President Soeharto congratulated them with Cambodia's progress in the reconstruction of their country. For instance, Cambodia's ability to check inflation and to arrange economic growth.
Information collected by Kompas stated that in 1991 Cambodia's inflation rate reached 150 percent. This figure decreased drastically to 3.5 percent in 1995. A year later Cambodia's inflation rate reached five percent, which will be maintained in the coming periods.
In 1995 Cambodia reached a real GDP growth of seven percent. this figure is far more stable compared with the average growth in 1988-1991 which only reached 3.4 percent. In 1993-1994 that figure increased to four percent. It is estimated that in the five coming years the real GDP of Cambodia will reach eight percent.
Forty four percent of GDP is received from the agricultural sector, 37 percent from the service sector and 19 percent from industry. Income per capita of Cambodia doubled, from 120 US dollar per year (1990) to 290 US dollar (1995).
Therefore, the State Minister continued, President Soeharto stressed three important elements in development, namely national stability, economic growth and equal spread. The President also brought forward that Indonesia experienced various development phases after independence, or before reaching a firm national integration.
"The President stresed, that the most important thing is the wish of all parties, the wish of the leadership to settle differences of opinion among them and to find meeting points" the State Minister said quoting the President. Besides that both parties hoped to increase mutual relations in the future.
ASEAN Member
Answering questions about Cambodian membership in the ASEAN, Moerdiono stated that it was briefly touched. He reminded the agreement between ASEAN leaders to accept Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar together.
Ali Alatas said separately at the same place that the three leaders were also grateful for Indonesia's support to accept Cambodia as full member of ASEAN. The two premiers even wished that this could be realized in 1997. Alatas said that the time of acceptance of the three countries was not mentioned. He said that their hope was of course tht it could be realized this year, but they did not make it a big problem.
Alatas clarified that Indonesia was at any time willing to accept the three countries in ASEAN, as far as the technical criteria were fulfilled. He was however not willing to state whether those criteria were already fulfilled or not. He said that he still waited for the results of the discussion with the ASEAN Secretary General.
"Therefore I only say that the decision is from our government heads who are not bound by time. Besides that I show to the process which at the moment is going on. A technical process, not a process of criteria or political conditions as the Western countries state. We cannot accept that. This is a normal process, a technical process like each organization has," he clarified.(*)