Indonesia Will Seek Aid

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31030, 9 April 1966, Page 15

Indonesia Will Seek Aid

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) DJAKARTA, April 8. Indonesia’s new government has estimated that the country will need at least 400 million dollars in aid during the coming year to repair her shattered economy.

Special missions are preparing to leave for talks next week in Europe and Japan on the postponement of debts Indonesia already owes. This step must be taken before money can be borrowed. Exploratory talks are also expected to begin in Washington next week with officials of the World Bank. Ten thousand tons of imported rice are scheduled to

arrive in Djakarta within the next seven days. This is only a fraction of the half-million tons the new Government hopes to bring here within the next nine months. Next week’s shipment should result in a desperately needed reduction in food prices, a promise made to the people when the armed forces and their civilian supporters forced President Sukarno to relinquish most of his power. Bringing rice to the badly overcrowded city of Djakarta was only one step in the effort of the new Government to halt inflation and provide some relief for the ragged and hungry.

Kosygin For India.—lndia’s Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, has announced that the Soviet Prime Minister, Mr Kosygin, will visit India this year.—New Delhi, April 8.