Australia defends Asian commitment<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuter): Australia's new conservative government
\nyesterday again defended itself from persistent claims it would
\nturn its back on Asia -- this time from a former Indonesian
\nambassador to Australia.<\/p>\n
"(The comment) that the coalition is going to turn its back on
\nAsia -- that is wrong," Australia's new Deputy Prime Minister,
\nTim Fischer, told reporters in Canberra.<\/p>\n
"We have great links with Asia and we're going to build on
\nthose links with Asia in a positive, constructive way and build
\nit on the basis of mutual respect," he added.<\/p>\n
Fischer was referring to a weekend Jakarta Post newspaper
\narticle by Indonesia's former ambassador to Australia, Sabam
\nSiagian, in which he said Australia's new government would be
\ninward looking.<\/p>\n
Australian-Asian relations are set for a "permanent winter
\nsleep", he wrote.<\/p>\n
Australia's conservative Liberal-National coalition
\ngovernment, which won a landslide election victory on March 2,
\nhas faced constant claims from Labor politicians that it would
\nignore Asia in preference to Britain and the United States.<\/p>\n
Ousted Labor prime minister Paul Keating made integration of
\nAustralia into the booming Asian economies a major platform of
\nhis failed election campaign.<\/p>\n
Some Asian commentators and diplomats have said Australia's
\nnew government will find it hard initially to replicate the
\nstrong personal ties built between Asian leaders and Keating and
\nhis former foreign minister, Gareth Evans.<\/p>\n
Howard -- Page 11<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-defends-asian-commitment-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }