1. RI URGED TO SIGN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL.

The government of Indonesia has been urged to sign the framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC), an executive of the Indonesian consumers Institute Foundation (YLKI) , Tulus Abadi, says.
"FCTC, formed by the WHO Council and also by Indonesia in 2002 until April 2004, had been signed by 105 member countries of WHO," he said in reply to journalists' questions.
He also wondered why Indonesia has not signed the FCTC, while actually WHO has set June 29, 2004 as deadline for the signing.
"If Indonesia failed in signing the FCTC, I fear this country would be isolated in relations with WHO member countries for not protecting the health of its people," he said.
According to the member of the YLKI management in charge of advocacy, especially the hazards of smoking to health, the government should not fear to lose its income from cigarette excise currently standing Rp27 trillion per year, just because of having signed the FCTC.
"By signing the FCTC, Indonesia is not required to forbid smoking, but merely restrict smoking in public places, limit cigarette advertisements or spend its income from cigarette excise on social undertakings of programs of preventing dangers from smoking," he said.
Tulus said the government needs to raise cigarette excise, with a view to increasing cigarette prices, which hopefully would reduce the number of smokers, and in this way reducing diseases caused by smoking, as the cost of curing such diseases may triple the income from excise on tobacco products.
In addition, the government also needs to limit the nicotine and tar contents in each cigarette under a government regulation on the control of smoking hazards to human health.

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2. INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ATTEND OIC CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda is to attend a ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey that will run from June 14 to 16, Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said.
The conference is scheduled to discuss among others the issues of Palestine, Jammu Kashmir, and the South Philippines conflict, Marty said.
"In addition to discussions on Palestine, Jammu Kashmir and South Philippines, the Istanbul meeting will also elect a new secretary general for the OIC," Marty said.
Indonesia, he said, would continue to support a free Palestine state although people's attention had focused on the Iraq crisis.
Under the Oslo treaty, a free Palestine state should be materialized by next year, but the policy as well as infrastructure toward the goal were still difficult to be reached and hope for peace process between Palestine and Israel has largely depend on Russia, the United Nations, European Union, and the United States.
"It seems that for Palestine issue, OIC would submit two initiatives, to conduct a special meeting in the UN and an initiative to conduct an international meeting on Palestine," a spokesman of the ministry, Yuri Thamrin said.
In Jammu Kashmir issue, Yuri said, the organization would initiate an open dialogue as the issue has involved two countries, Pakistan and India.
While on crisis in South Philippines, the Philippines government has formally sought support to join the OIC observers.
OIC which represents more than one billion muslim around the world has sought candidates for its new secretary general, to succeed the current secretary general, Abdelouahed Belkaziz of Morocco.
Until now, the OIC has three candidates for the secretary general's post, namely from Bangladesh, Turkey and Malaysia.
According to Yuri, Indonesia would not openly support any of the three candidates but ask member countries to reach a consensus to maintain solidarity in OIC. "We do not have a culture of voting in OIC," he said.
Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Sayid Hamid Albar said, OIC should elect the best candidate for the position considering its key role in the restructurization and revitalization process of OIC.
"I think when we are in Turkey, the problem will become more clear. In the end, no matter which country is elected as secretary general, they have to elect the best candidate for the job and for the OIC secretariat general," Sayid said.
The last meeting of the 57-member organization was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, in October 2003 and resulted in the "Putrajaya Declaration".
Malaysia has named its permanent representative to the UN, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, as a candidate for OIC secretary general.

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3. RESETTLEMEMT, REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES MINISTRY TO HOLD REGIONAL CONSULTATION 2004.

The Resettlement and Regional Infrastructures Ministry will hold a series of Regional Consultation (Konreg) 2004 meetings as a communication forum between central and regional governments, a spokesman said.
"Konreg 2004 aims to guarantee the continuity of development programs in 2004, to see to it they will be continued by the new government in 2005," Director General of City and Villages Landscaping Patana Rantetoding said.
During the meetings, Patana said, the participants would also conduct an evaluation of the 2004 programs and formulate new programs for 2005 that could synchronize regional requirements with central government policy.
"We will synchronize real demand in regions with the central government's capability in the matter of funding to develop infrastructures," Patana said.
The annual consultation would involve Regional Development Planning Boards (Bappedas) as well as district resettlement and regional infrastructure offices.
The results of Konreg would serve as the basis to formulate ministerial-level programs reflecting the real needs and priorities of the regions, Patana said.
The Regional Consultation meetings would take place in three cities with each meeting serving as the center of consultation for a particular part of the country.
For western Indonesia, the consultation would be held in Pekanbaru, Riau, on June 17 to 18, for central Indonesia it would be held in Surabaya (East Java) on June 14 to 15 and for eastern Indonesia the consultation meeting would take place in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, on June 22 to 23.

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4. ASEAN MINISTERS TO ATTEND DEDICATION OF ANTI-TERRORISM SCHOOL IN INDONESIA.

All foreign affairs ministers joining the 11th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) here on July 2 will attend the official dedication of the anti-terrorism training school, the Jakarta Law Enforcement Center, in Semarang, Central Java.
"The ministers will leave for Semarang on July 3," director general for ASEAN Dialog Partners of the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sugeng Rahardjo, said.
Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri is slated to inaugurate the school, which will train 24 senior Indonesian policemen in handling terrorist threats.
The Asia-Pacific region has become the target of terrorist groups following the Sept 11, 2001 tragedy in the United States, including the Bali bombing in 2002, the Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta last year, and street violence in Thailand.
The center will also facilitate the exchange of intelligence information and help build the capability of state intelligence bodies in Asia-Pacific countries, Sugeng said.

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