WASHINGTON — The Clinton administration has decided to stick by Indonesian President Suharto rather than press for the aging leader to step down or make far-reaching political changes in his authoritarian regime, administration officials say.
Over the past month, the administration has grown increasingly worried about the deteriorating economic and political situation in Indonesia, which is the fourth most populous nation and next to some of the world's most important sea lanes.
With unemployment rising and the currency plummeting in Indonesia amid the region's economic crisis, one senior administration official said, "You have the potential for a really explosive mix."
Against a backdrop of riots and social unrest, Suharto, 76, is about to stage-manage another term as president. Despite growing calls for political reform, a special assembly that opens today is virtually certain to name Suharto--Asia's longest-serving leader--to a seventh term.
Nevertheless, in a series of top-level meetings, the Clinton administration has rejected the idea of a "Manila scenario," in which Suharto might have been encouraged to yield to democratic forces, as was done with the late Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
One reason has been the fear that any such American effort might backfire and produce a wave of repression in Indonesia similar to the late 1980s crackdowns in China and Myanmar (formerly Burma), U.S. officials say. Another factor is concern that Suharto's departure would produce a power vacuum with an unpredictable outcome.
One senior administration official said the highest priority for the United States in Indonesia now "is stability, which is in a true sense a political matter. . . . If you start trying to pull the plug on Suharto now, the question is, what could happen?"
Weighing these factors, the administration has decided to support Suharto during the current crisis and delay any concerted effort to encourage a political liberalization in Indonesia, where Suharto's repressive regime has endured for more than three decades.
Some critics have been arguing that the administration, as part of its response to Indonesia's economic crisis, should push Suharto to loosen restrictions on dissent and to bring political opponents into his government.
