Wahid holds crisis meeting

Wahid and Megawati seek a political solution that would preempt violence

By staff and wire reports

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesia's senior ministers shuttled between meetings with the president and the vice president Tuesday, as the nation remains on the brink of violent political division.

Opposition parties have called on Wahid to quit, even as his armed supporters have traveled from the provinces to Jakarta vowing to guard his rule with their lives.

The parliament brought Wahid closer to impeachment last week, censuring him a second time for his links to two corruption scandals involving state agency funds and a gift from the Sultan of Brunei.

Cabinet ministers made a three-hour visit to the official residence of Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri on Tuesday, then went to see President Abdurrahman Wahid at the presidential palace.

Megawati later showed up at the palace to join the meeting.

"We were discussing a constructive political solution," said Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono, coordinating minister of political, social and security affairs, after the meeting at the palace.

Justice Minister Baharuddin Lopa said that the solution must see "everyone satisfied," adding that the "form this will take is still being discussed."

Wahid has shunned a proposal to share power with Megawati.

Hint of disarray

Following Saturday's aborted cabinet meeting, missed by some key ministers, speculations were rife that Wahid's government was in disarray.

Although Megawati has remained typically quiet, many observers believe that she has lost patience over Wahid's erratic behavior.

Her party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle -- the biggest in parliament, was behind the second censure on Wahid after a previous one in February.

Wahid, elected in October 1999, has insisted on his innocence but has faced mounting calls to quit.

The second censure paves the way for Wahid's impeachment.

If Wahid fails to give a satisfactory response to the second censure at the end of May, the supreme legislature, the People's Consultative Assembly, could hold a special session and vote to remove him from power.

Megawati is now a favorite among opposition parties to succeed the half-blind Wahid and serve the remainder of his term until 2004.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Indonesia Government

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