[asia-apec 1270] Van Sun: No special security deals, Chretien aide says

[David Webster]

VANCOUVER SUN
Last updated: Friday 27 August 1999       NATIONAL NEWS
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No special security deals at APEC: Chretien aide
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                   IAN BAILEY

                   VANCOUVER (CP) - Visiting Indonesians were paranoid
                   about embarrassing protest, but they didn't get
                   special breaks on security at the controversial 1997
                   APEC summit, says Jean Chretien's top aide.

                   It was one of few key security areas that Jean
                   Pelletier, the prime minister's chief of staff, could
                   address with confidence Thursday as he testified at an
                   inquiry into RCMP treatment of protesters.

                   On many other issues, the seasoned Chretien aide and
                   former Quebec City mayor admitted he was out of the
                   loop - not present at meetings, not presented with
                   documents.

                   "We wouldn't do anything special for any leader -
                   including Suharto," said Pelletier, the second senior
                   Chretien aide to appear in a week before the RCMP
                   Public Complaints Commission hearing.

                   Each of the 18 visiting leaders, including U.S.
                   President Bill Clinton, got the same security
                   treatment, Pelletier told inquiry head Ted Hughes, who
                   has been hearing evidence for six months.

                   "It was not more or less," said Pelletier. "It was the
                   normal (security) practise - period."

                   The priority was to balance the rights of Canadian
                   protesters with the "common-sense dignity" of Pacific
                   leaders.

                   "In no way have I seen or heard any expression of
                   opinion wanting to, let's say, diminish the freedom of
                   expression of Canadians on Canadian soil," Pelletier
                   said.

                   All of this is important to the APEC inquiry because
                   of allegations that Chretien's office browbeat
                   Mounties into adopting security plans aimed at
                   limiting protest embarrassing to leaders at the
                   summit.

                   Indonesian officials were wary about the summit due to
                   fears their then-president Suharto would face protest
                   linked to his widely criticized record on human
                   rights.

                   During the summit, Mounties clashed with protesters as
                   leaders met in a retreat on the campus of the
                   University of British Columbia on Nov. 25, 1997.

                   Protesters were pepper sprayed and detained. Female
                   protesters were strip searched while males were not.

                   The melee was prompted more than 40 public complaints,
                   which have fuelled the elaborate hearing by Hughes.
                   More than 130 witnesses are expected to testify.

                   Pelletier said the Indonesian concern "was not a great
                   problem."

                   Later Thursday, a senior Canadian official involved in
                   organizing APEC said Canadian officials held meetings
                   with wary Indonesians as part of a program of
                   "reassurance" they would have offered other similarly
                   worried leaders.

                   "It was important for all leaders to be present," Len
                   Edwards, now Canada's ambassador to Japan, told the
                   inquiry.

                   The meetings included a session between Chretien and
                   Indonesia's Canadian ambassador, Benjamin Parwoto,
                   held two months before the summit.

                   "These were steps of reassurance," said Edwards. "We
                   were simply reassuring (the Indonesians) our normal
                   procedures would meet (Suharto's) requirements."

                   At the Chretien-Parwoto meeting, the prime minister
                   said Canada had experience in dealing with "difficult"
                   visits, citing a 1995 tour by Chinese Premier Li Peng,
                   according to a secret memo entered as evidence.

                   Canadian measures during that visit included back-door
                   hotel entries by Li so he could avoid protesters as
                   well as the use of a black curtain drawn across a
                   hotel lobby so the premier would not have to see
                   protesters.

                   Pelletier's testimony prompted one flare-up.

                   Anti-APEC protester David Malmo-Levine got into a
                   shouting match with Hughes when Malmo-Levine was
                   asking about future measures to deal with
                   demonstrators.

                   "I want to know whether protesters are to expect to be
                   pepper-sprayed and punched in the future," said
                   Malmo-Levine, who varies the colour of his hair with
                   each day of the hearing.

                   "Now, you're not going to put those questions to this
                   witness," Hughes said, his voice rising.

                   "If not this witness. . . ," asked Malmo-Levine.

                   "You are not going to," yelled Hughes. "I have ruled,
                   Mr. Malmo-Levine!"

                   Later, a subdued Hughes asked the commission's lawyers
                   to find a witness who could deal with Malmo-Levine's
                   concerns.

                   In other testimony Thursday, Pelletier denied that any
                   Chretien official would have overstepped their powers
                   in dealing with police.

                   "Freedom of speech is something (Chretien's) got in
                   his heart so I would imagine nobody on our team
                   deliberately acting in such a way that would confront
                   the philosophy of the PM in these matters," he said.

                   Pelletier did concede to a role in one security and
                   protest-related matter, suggesting he mediated a
                   dispute between another Chretien aide, Jean Carle, and
                   the University of British Columbia on a security
                   fence.