960402

Indonesia welcomes

Indian ocean rim

initiative

JAKARTA: Indonesia's Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said on Tuesday Jakarta welcomed efforts to bring countries around the Indian Ocean closer, especially in trade, and pledged a constructive contribution.

Visiting Mauritius Fisheries Minister, Louis Steven Obeegadoo, said after meeting President Suharto his country had invited Indonesia to join the Indian Ocean Rim initiative.

"We welcome the initiative. The president stressed that Indonesia will play a constructive role," Alatas told reporters.

Obeegadoo said the original seven countries of the Indian Ocean Rim initiative - South Africa, Kenya, Oman, India, Singapore, Australia and Mauritius - would double to 14.

"It is now expanding to 14 countries. The new countries we hope will join are Indonesia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Yemen, Sri Lanka and Malaysia," Obeegadoo told reporters.

"As you are all aware the new reality of international economics calls for a new regionalism whereby countries...can come together in spirit of complimentarity and thereby assist the development of trade, finance and economics," Obeegadoo said.-Reuter