INDONESIA: NEW PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID SPEECH

English/Nat In his first major speech, Indonesia's new president, Abdurrahman Wahid, on Sunday outlined sweeping changes in domestic, foreign and defense policy. He promised to improve the lives of the impoverished masses by boosting his country's crisis-ridden economy. Wahid, an ailing 59-year-old Muslim intellectual and cleric, was elected head of state of the world's fourth most populous nation on Wednesday by Indonesia's highest legislative body. He is expected to name his cabinet team this week. During the wide-ranging address to business people, politicians and diplomats in Bali, Abdurrahman Wahid also said he would appoint some members of former President Suharto's disgraced authoritarian regime to his cabinet. That move defies a chorus of calls to wipe the slate clean after the ouster of former President B.J. Habibie's government, which included many Suharto holdovers. He said he would appoint Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri to head efforts to calm troubles pots such as Iranian Jaya in western New Guinea and Ambon in Indonesia's east. As a revered Muslim leader, he would try to end a separatist rebellion in the staunchly Islamic province of Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra. In a shift in diplomatic priorities, Wahid said he planned to visit China and other Asian nations within weeks. He also intends to build an economic relationship between his country, which is the world's most populous Islamic nation and Israel, as a way of ending years of animosity. There has been much talk within Indonesia and internationally about the state of the new president's health. Wahid is almost blind and can no longer read. To make light of this Wahid made an off the cuff remark about his poor vision, but stressed that this would not effect his determination to serve his country well. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We have to concentrate on overcoming the economic problem, this on the principle of profit motive as well as our inclusion in free international trade. As based on that we can create our own new economic orientation. The income of the ordinary citizens will be increased gradually." SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President SOUNDBITE: (English) "We will also concentrate on making Indonesia unified again. Look at Ambon -the Christians and the Muslims massacred each other, it is crazy. I don't want this to happen here in Bali because the Balinese Hindus for me are the same like the Muslims of Java or Sumatra. We have to respect all religions." SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President SOUNDBITE: (English) "I regret that I couldn't go to Israel this time, but in the future I hope we will be able to go there -but of course don't think I will open diplomatic relationship with Israel. It is a different thing, going there and having a diplomatic relationship. May be, may be, may be for the first time we will have economic ties, economic cooperation." SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President SOUNDBITE: (English) "My wife couldn't walk for six, seven and-a-half years already, and I didn't see her for almost two years. But I hope that we can (recover) still in the future, and the most important thing is that seeing or not, walking or not, together I and my wife will like to serve the nation to make a better living in the future." SUPER CAPTION: Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian President SOUNDBITE: (English) "As we say in the U-S, he is spreading his options. He is going to branch out, he is going to have closer relations with other countries -I think that's fine. It is not a zero-sum game. The fact that he is going to have better relations with China or India or whatever country is not at our expense or any other country's expense." You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/44834518697490f27647416a55b0e329 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork