Indonesia seeks Swiss aid to recover funds

Indonesia will renew its request to Switzerland for help in searching for funds allegedly deposited in Swiss banks, the Indonesian president, Abdurrahim Wahid, told the president, Adolf Ogi in Berne. (Picture).

Indonesia will renew its request to Switzerland for help in searching for funds allegedly deposited in Swiss banks, the Indonesian president, Abdurrahim Wahid, told the president, Adolf Ogi in Berne. (Picture).

At their meeting, Wahid told Ogi and other Swiss cabinet members that the new request for judicial assistance would be presented shortly.

A previous request, presented last year, became invalid after the Indonesian investigation into the funds deposited abroad by the former president, Suharto, expired.

Before his overthrow in 1988, Suharto is alleged to have deposited several billion dollars in Swiss and Austrian accounts. Suharto has denied the accusations.

Wahid also told the Swiss delegation about the latest political and economic developments in his country, a Swiss foreign ministry spokeswoman said. Wahid reassured Swiss officials there was little risk for foreign investors in Indonesia.

Swiss exports to Indonesia – mainly made up of pharmaceutical products and machinery – fell back sharply last year in the wake of the riots that forced Suharto from power.

In another high level meeting in Berne, the economics minister, Pascal Couchepin, met a Chinese deputy prime minister, Wu Bangguo, for talks which centred on China’s attempts to join the World Trade Organisation.

From staff and wire reports