Wahid supports India stand on Kashmir but is bogged down by existing ties with others

Wahid’s support is significant given that thus far, Indonesia has supported India on Kashmir “with reservations” in all the multilateral fora, particularly the Organisation of Islamic Countries in Doha last year.

Vajpayee had yesterday supported the issue of territorial integrity of Indonesia in view of the uprising in Aceh. Speaking today Vajpayee said, “as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and diverse societies, both our countries support each other’s unity and territorial integrity”.

Wahid was also unequivocal in putting his personal weight behind India’s claim to a permanent seat in the expanded UN Security Council. He wascorroborating a report yesterday stating his Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab’sstatement that Indonesia is supporting India’s entry in the UN along with Japan and implying that Indonesia would take a backseat in political leadership in Asia on this issue in order to engender an economic recovery. Wahid said: “I personally support India’s demand,” and it will be discussed further by the Indonesian Cabinet.

Speaking on Kashmir, Shihab said Indonesia supports a peaceful resolution ofthe crisis. The Indonesian Foreign Minister added that terrorism is a threat to democracy everywhere and Indonesia rejects it totally.

Shihab confirmed Wahid’s view on UN expansion and said “it means something that the President has personally supported it”. Apart from garnering support on Kashmir from the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Vajpayee, along with Wahid today spoke at length about the warm and friendly relations between the two countries.

Wahid, who has himself suffered two strokes and is said to be ailing, wasespecially touched by the fact that Vajpayee’s first visit abroad after his knee operation included Indonesia. He echoed Vajpayee’s stand on security issues as he said: “We have similar views on international affairs. The South-South dialogue will bear more fruit in the face of many challenges from other parts of the world.”

The two countries also signed an agreement on defence and set up a JointCommission which will meet annually at the level of Foreign Ministers.Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Panja signed both agreements, with Shihab and defence minister Mahfud MD respectively. Panja said the defence agreement entails India supplying speed boats to Indonesia for patrolling the sea lanes and checking narcotics smuggling, along with supply of other defence equipment and materials. The deal is part of wider strategic naval cooperation between the two countries. India will play host to the Indonesian Navy at the International Fleet Review in February and their Soviet-style naval vessels will come to India for refitting. Indian naval Chief A.Y. Tipnis is also expected to pay a visit to Indonesia. Three MoUs on cooperation in Science and Technology, Agriculture and Cultural Exchanges were also penned on the day.

Speaking later at the first annual Joint Business Council (JBC) Meetingbetween India’s FICCI and Indonesia’s KADIN, Vajpayee stressed Indonesia’s position as India’s third-largest trading partner among ASEAN witha bilateral trade of 1.3 billion dollars. Indonesia supplies edible oil, organic chemicals and petroleum and have recently invested in paper manufacture in India. He also made a reference to an MoU between India’s ONGC Videsh and Pertmina of Indonesia, under which the Indian company will assist in exploration and production at new sites being developed in Indonesia.

India offered Indonesia assistance in the fields of information technology and foodgrain production.