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Polaris chief waiting to get back passport

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, Dec. 23. The issues behind Indonesia's action of arresting and releasing two corporate executives of the Chennai-based Polaris Software Labs remained unresolved until late tonight, although there was also no definitive indication of any new complication.

Arun Jain and Rajiv Malhotra, highest-ranking officials of the software company, remained in Jakarta, though out of police custody, since their release a few days ago. They were waiting to receive their passports that were withheld by the Indonesian authorities despite their gesture of releasing the two from detention in response to India's diplomatic pressure.

India's Charge d'Affaires in Jakarta, Amar Sinha, said tonight he was ''hopeful'' that the question of impounded passports would be "resolved soon'' in the spirit of friendship that prevails between the two countries. The Indonesian side was, however, keeping its cards close to its chest.

The release of the two men was secured on the basis of a "guarantee'' from the Indian Embassy in Jakarta that they would extend full cooperation to the Indonesian investigators as regards any complaints that the Artha Graha Bank might have against the Polaris about the implementation of a commercial deal between the two.

While the key point at stake is that a commercial dispute cannot be treated as a criminal breach of faith, the Indonesian bank does not yet seem to have indicated whether it would be willing to settle its grievances through arbitration in Singapore as provided for under the relevant contract. It is this aspect, concerning the apparently influential bank, that accounts for the present stalemate. The Polaris case itself has, in the meantime, attracted considerable attention in other South East Asian countries.

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