FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

We welcome the steps taken by the Indonesian government over the last several days to put in place the reinforced reform program agreed by the IMF on January 15, 1998.

Earlier today the government outlined important steps to strengthen and restructure the banking system and to establish a framework for a voluntary private sector initiative to help address the debt burden of the corporate sector.

The United States and the international community as a whole has a strong interest in seeing Indonesia succeed in restoring financial stability.