Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid Trying to Stave off Move to Impeach Him
KARUNA SHINSHO, CNN ANCHOR: In Indonesia, President Abdurrahman Wahid is trying to strike a deal with his parliamentary critics ahead of a move to impeach him. Mr. Wahid appears to be backing away from his earlier threat to declare emergency rule on Friday. Maria Ressa has more on the latest turn in the political face-off in Jakarta.</s>MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Increasingly isolated, Indonesia's embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid has backed himself into a corner. He says he will declare state of emergency on Friday if lawmakers push ahead with impeachment procedures proceedings against him, expected to again August 1.</s>GREG BARTON, WAHID BIOGRAPHER: The full message here, is that if Democracy comes to deadlock, such that it is likely to fail, the circuit breaker may be their fresh elections. For fresh elections, you've got to freeze parliament. To freeze parliament, you have to have some sort of a state of, you know, extraordinary circumstances, emergency.</s>RESSA: Now Mr. Wahid concedes he may not be have the support of the military and police, and if he does plow ahead, legislators say they will convene the special assembly earlier, within hours of the president's declaration. Mr. Wahid says he has reached the end of his patience.</s>ABDURRAHMAN WAHID, INDONESIAN PRESIDENT: I tried as much as possible to bear the critics, to bear the criticism with patience of what happened. Even, you know, slanders, even lies about myself.</s>RESSA: Much will depend on what this woman does, Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Her party has the largest number of seats in the country's highest legislative body, and much of Mr. Wahid's problems stems from him inability to cement a political alliance with his vice president.</s>BARTON: I wouldn't rule out compromise. It may be very well in 11th hour, but it may sort of defuse what appears to be a ticking bomb.</s>RESSA: Most here agree if nothing is done soon, Mr. Wahid could be looking at the end of his presidency. (on camera): Mr. Wahid claims there's been a concerted campaign against him, backed by those afraid of the true reform he promises. Political opponents say this president has done little and is now out of touch with reality. Maria Ressa, CNN, Jakarta.