In your editorial Mega's role in APEC (The Jakarta
                 Post, Oct. 23) you suggested, I hope inadvertently,
                 that the visit of President Megawati to Cuba would
                 irritate Washington.

                 This claim does not serve to the historical and friendly
                 links that Cuba and Indonesia have developed during
                 many decades as Third World countries with a
                 common agenda in the Non Aligned Movement to
                 which both countries are founding members, and to
                 whose development Indonesia and president Sukarno
                 especially, greatly contributed.

                 That allegation would only provide too much of a
                 pragmatic (in order not to say cynical) interpretation of
                 the role of Indonesia as a sovereign nation or is not
                 based on the values of the foreign policy that the
                 government so proudly defends, based on the
                 principles of national independence, sovereignty,
                 self-determination and equal rights among states.

                 Some people have become used to seeing events not
                 in the light of principles but in the light of political or
                 economic convenience, therefore losing self-respect
                 and even worse they disrespect their own country.
                 Furthermore, trying to carry out Indonesia's foreign
                 policy according to the perception of what Washington
                 may or may not like not only damages the prestige of
                 Indonesia, but also contribute to the policy of
                 economic blockade and isolation that the U.S have
                 carried out against Cuba for more than four decades.

                 I am convinced that it would not be any mistake for
                 President Megawati to go to the countries that
                 president Sukarno visited, on the contrary, it would
                 help President Megawati to have more elements to
                 understand the relevant role president Sukarno played
                 during the 1950s and 1960s and why he carried out
                 and defended an independent foreign policy that made
                 him visit Cuba in 1961.

                 Particularly at this juncture, when friends in need are
                 friends indeed, and when this country that should not
                 be irritated is raising warnings against traveling to
                 Indonesia, Cuba reaffirms its total solidarity with
                 Indonesia and to the actions carried out by the
                 Megawati administration.

                 Your newspaper has been an important promoter of
                 reform in many aspects of the Indonesian life,
                 including the promotion of many laws to strengthen the
                 democratic roots of your society. I believe it will also
                 be a great contribution for your newspaper to strongly
                 support the need for a more responsible media, one
                 that should not be tempted to publish unconfirmed
                 reports.

                 I have highlighted this issue because the Foreign
                 Ministry officials that could have advised President
                 Megawati to desist visiting Cuba, (as mentioned in the
                 editorial) have absolutely denied ever mentioning to the
                 Post anything of that kind, which is totally running
                 counter their foreign policy principles and their position
                 of friendship with Cuba.

                 MIGUEL ANGEL RAMIREZ

                 Ambassador

                 Cuban Embassy

                 Jakarta