Australia accepts new RI envoy<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Agencies): Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans,
\nwhile accepting the appointment of an Indonesian general as
\nJakarta's next ambassador, said yesterday that the general may
\nsoon have to explain some of the remarks he purportedly made
\nabout an incident in East Timor four years ago.<\/p>\n
Evans, in comments widely reported by the Australian press
\nyesterday, said however that Canberra did not see any reason to
\nrefuse Jakarta's appointment Lt. Gen. (ret.) H.B.L. Mantiri as
\nIndonesia's next ambassador, according to Antara.<\/p>\n
\"He's fully qualified for the post,\" Evans was quoted by
\nAntara as telling reporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
Mantiri had no personal involvement in the Dili incident and
\nis \"favorably known to many in Australia\", especially in the area
\nof defense, Evans said, noting that he was the personal choice of
\nPresident Soeharto for the posting, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n
The appointment of Mantiri to replace Ambassador Sabam Siagian
\nhas not been formally announced in Jakarta. Sabam, a former
\nsenior journalist, is scheduled to end his term in Canberra this
\nmonth. Officials in Jakarta were not available yesterday for
\ncomment regarding the news about Mantiri.<\/p>\n
Mantiri, 55, was appointed as chief of the Udayana Regional
\nMilitary Command, which also oversees East Timor, not long after
\nthe bloody incident in the streets of Dili in November 1991.<\/p>\n
The government maintains that around 50 people were killed in
\nclashes between troops and East Timorese demonstrators, an
\nincident that sparked an international furor, including most
\nnotably from Australia.<\/p>\n
The Australian reprinted yesterday excerpts of an interview
\nMantiri gave to the Indonesian news magazine Editor in its July
\n1992 edition. Commenting on the Dili incident, Mantiri reportedly
\nsaid, \"We don't regret anything. What happened was quite proper,\"
\nAntara said in a dispatch from the Australian capital.<\/p>\n
Evans said however that unless Mantiri explained his
\nstatement, he would receive a great deal of questioning from the
\nAustralian media and public during his tenure here, AFP reported.<\/p>\n
Evans was questioned about the nomination again during a Labor
\ncaucus meeting yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"He indicated that obviously there would be concerns and that
\nhe hoped the new ambassador would see fit to explain his earlier
\nstatements,\" a caucus spokeswoman said.<\/p>",
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