CONEFO BUILDING; SOLDIERS; SUHARTO ARRIVING; DELEGATES AT MEETING; NASUTION; SUHARTO SPEAKING; SUHARTO LEAVING.




Initials GEM/VS/RM/SC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE CONGRESS, THE HIGHEST POLICY-MAKING BODY IN INDONESIA, MET ON THURSDAY TO DISCUSS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE LOWER HOUSE TO APPOINT ACTING PRESIDENT SUHARTO AS FULL PRESIDENT AND TO FIX A DATE FOR A GENERAL ELECTION.

THE CONGRESS MET AT THE CONEFO BUILDING IN DJAKARTA... IT WAS BUILT BY THE NOW-DEPOSED PRESIDENT SUKARNO TO HOUSE THE EMERGING FORCES ORGANISATION THAT WAS NEVER CREATED. THE BUILDING WAS UNDER HEAVY MILITARY GUARD AS THE ACTING PRESIDENT ARRIVED TO JOIN THE 828 DELEGATES MEETING UNDER THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESS, GENERAL NASUTION.

ACTING PRESIDENT SUHARTO MADE A STRONG PLEA TO THE CONGRESS TO RENEW THE SPECIAL POWERS HE HOLDS ... TO FACE THREATS WHICH HE LINKED WITH COMMUNIST SUBVERSION.

HE SAID HE NEEDED EMERGENCY POWERS, AS HE PUT IT, TO OVERCOME DISTURBANCES THAT MIGHT UNEXPECTEDLY OCCUR BEFORE THE PLANNED GENERAL ELECTION. HE SAID HE HAD PROOF THAT UNDERGROUND CELLS OF THE BANNED INDONESIAN COMMUNIST PARTY WERE SPREADING SUBVERSION, AND ALLEGED THAT THEY WERE GETTING AID FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.