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DATE=9/27/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-INDONESIA (L)
NUMBER=2-254361
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  President Clinton is taking a conciliatory 
approach toward Indonesia, saying he hopes it will 
emerge from the current crisis over East Timor to play 
a positive role in Asia's future.  VOA's David Gollust 
reports from the White House.
TEXT:  Though the administration has reduced military 
ties with Indonesia because of the violence in East 
Timor, Mr. Clinton is leaving the door open to better 
relations with Jakarta.
In a talk with reporters at the White House early 
Monday (as he left on a trip to Louisiana), Mr. 
Clinton noted that weeks after elections in Indonesia, 
the question of leadership there remains unresolved.  
Those parliamentary elections were won by the 
opposition, leaving the political future of President 
B-J Habibie in doubt.
Mr. Clinton called it a time of great instability and 
uncertainty for Indonesians, and said he hoped the 
country can be steered back in the direction of being 
a positive force in the region: 
            ///CLINTON ACTUALITY///
      We should stand against those actions which 
      violate human rights and which are wrong. But we 
      should also hope that both stability and humane 
      policies will be returned to Indonesia as soon 
      as possible.  It is a very large country with 
      200-million people - the largest Muslim country 
      in the world.  And [it is] capable, as we have 
      seen periodically over the last few years, of 
      enormous progress, and capable of playing an 
      important positive role in the future of Asia.  
      And that's what I hope and pray will happen.
            ///END ACT///
Mr. Clinton said whether Indonesia can live up to its 
potential depends on "responsible leadership" in 
Jakarta and  "appropriate responses" from the United 
States and others.
His comments came just a day after a renewed warning 
by Secretary of State Madaleine Albright that the 
Jakarta government should end "collusion" with the 
militiamen who have terrorized East Timor or risk 
losing U-S economic aid. 
After meeting an East Timor opposition leader (Xanana 
Gusmao) in New York Sunday, she said she was troubled 
by reports East Timorese refugees are being forcibly 
relocated to other parts of Indonesia rather than 
being allowed to return home - which she called a 
clear and unacceptable violation of human rights.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/BK 
27-Sep-1999 11:17 AM EDT (27-Sep-1999 1517 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.