News

ACCESSION NUMBER:291693

FILE ID:EPF116

DATE:06/28/93

TITLE:WHARTON: CLINTON WILLING TO MEET SOEHARTO BILATERALLY IN TOKYO (06/28/93)

TEXT:*93062816.EPF

*EPF116  06/28/93 *



WHARTON: CLINTON WILLING TO MEET SOEHARTO BILATERALLY IN TOKYO

(Transcript:  Wharton Press Conference June 28, 1993)  (660)

Jakarta -- Deputy Secretary of State Clifton Wharton told reporters here

June 28 that President Clinton would be willing to talk with President

Soeharto in a bilateral meeting during the G-7 Summit in Tokyo.



Asked why the U.S. government has not been explicit in saying from the very

outset whether the Soeharto, as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement,

should meet with the G-7 in Tokyo, Wharton said, "The United States from

the very beginning indicated that the decision with regard to participation

was a collective decision.  It was not up to the United States.  However,

President Clinton said that he himself personally would be very pleased to

meet in a bilateral with President Soeharto."



Following is transcript of Deputy Secretary of State Wharton's press

conference with local press after call on President Soeharto at the

president's residence on June 28:



(begin transcript)

WHARTON:  It was a very fruitful meeting and discussion that we held.  It

clearly reaffirmed the very good and strong relationships which the United

States has with Indonesia.  I was very pleased by the discussion.



Q:  Would you tell us your version of the attack yesterday on Iraq?

WHARTON:  I don't think I can give you a separate version.  All I can say is

that the U.S. government action was taken under the provisions of the UN

charter with regard to a direct attack on us and as viewed by us in terms

of the attempted assassination of a former president of the United States.

The evidence that was involved with regard to the participation by Iraqi

intelligence in that effort was absolutely overwhelming.  On that basis,

the action was taken.



Q:  What is the trade issue between Indonesia and the U.S. that still needs

to be adjusted?



WHARTON:  The point which I was making was the fact that as you move into

greater globalization of trade, the countries that are involved in the

trading pattern necessarily have to adjust their own production patterns.

That's true in the United States as it is in the receiving nations --

whether it is two nations engaged in trade, three or four.  The more

regionalization and the more globalization you have in trade, the more it

means that you have to adjust your trading patterns.  What I was alluding

to in my discussions with the president was that given the move towards

greater regionalism, greater globalization, all countries, Indonesia

included, will have to adjust and accomodate to their trade.  That was the

point that I was making.



Q:  Sir, I'd like to go back to this attack on Iraq.  Your reaction towards

Iraq is very swift, but very slow on Bosnia, would you comment on that

please?

1

WHARTON:  There is a difference between a direct attack upon the United

States and its national interests and a situation in which there is a

collective approach to the situation in Bosnia.  In the Bosnian case, it

has been an issue before the United Nations in which all of those nations

are involved in decision-making.  In this particular case, it was a

specific incident with regard to the United States alone.



Q:  You have said that the U.S. administration has given a very positive

response towards closer, not only South-South cooperation, but also

cooperation between the North and South.  The question remains why is it

that the U.S. government has not been explicit in saying from the very

outset whether the chairman of NAM should meet with the G-7 in Tokyo?



WHARTON:  The United States from the very beginning indicated that the

decision with regard to participation was a collective decision.  It was

not up to the United States.  However, President Clinton said that he

himself personally would be very pleased to meet in a bilateral with

President Soeharto. Thank you.



(end transcript)

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