Australia supports RI's territorial integrity: Howard<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle and Viva Goldner, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a apparent bid to deflect strong criticism from both the House
\nof Representatives (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR), visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on
\nWednesday that his country fully supported Indonesia's
\nterritorial integrity.<\/p>\n
Emerging from an almost one-hour meeting with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, Howard said that his country respected
\nautonomy packages offered to the country's two restive provinces
\n-- Aceh and Papua.<\/p>\n
\"Australia strongly supports the territorial integrity and the
\nunity of the Indonesian nation ... we respect very much the
\nautonomy packages (for Aceh and Papua) that have been developed
\nto deal with particular regional issues,\" Howard told reporters
\nat the joint press conference in Merdeka Palace on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Howard arrived here on Wednesday for a two-day
\nofficial visit, in which the two countries are to discuss
\npolitical and security issues along with trade, agriculture, and
\ntechnology and research cooperation.<\/p>\n
Leaders of both the House and the Assembly expressed
\nopposition on Tuesday to Howard's visit to Indonesia, arguing
\nthat Australia has been meddling too much in Indonesia's domestic
\naffairs, such as supporting a referendum for Papua. Howard denied
\nthe allegation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Megawati emphasized on Wednesday that the future
\nrelationship between the two countries must be based on a
\n\"realistic and rational\" approach.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Megawati's statement about creating more
\nrealistic relations in the future, Howard expressed his
\nagreement, especially considering that Indonesia and Australia
\nare near neighbors.<\/p>\n
\"The President rightly said the relationship is to be based on
\nrealism ... and there will be areas that we will agree more than
\nothers,\" Howard said.<\/p>\n
While illegal immigration was also addressed by the two
\nleaders, Howard said more comprehensive talks would be held at
\nthe regional people-smuggling conference in Bali later this
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
The people smuggling issue has strained the relationship
\nbetween the two countries recently as Howard rejected 433 mostly
\nAfghan asylum seekers who tried to enter Australian territorial
\nwaters.<\/p>\n
Howard said the matter must be tackled on a regional basis as
\nmany people from many countries were involved.<\/p>\n
\"We recognize that although there are bilateral issues between
\nAustralia and Indonesia, it is nonetheless an issue that must be
\ntackled on a regional basis,\" said Howard, adding that the
\ncountry was looking forward to the outcome of the people-
\nsmuggling forum in Bali on Feb. 25.<\/p>\n
The Australian government has also pledged five patrol boats
\nto complement Indonesia's equipment in tackling illegal migrants,
\nas well as promising A$1 million in flood assistance.<\/p>\n
In a gesture to appease lingering resentment over East Timor,
\nHoward announced that a conference would be held between
\nAustralia, Indonesia and East Timor on Feb. 25, but did not give
\nfurther details of what would be discussed.<\/p>\n
\"This is another important example of the cooperation between
\nour two countries, and importantly, between Australia, Indonesia
\nand East Timor,\" Howard said.<\/p>\n
Relations between Australia and Indonesia have been shaky
\nsince 1999, when Australia urged Indonesia to allow East Timor to
\ndecide its future through a United Nations-sponsored popular
\nconsultation, and later sent a peace-keeping force to East Timor
\nafter the former Portuguese colony's vote for independence from
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, Megawati also proposed building
\ncooperation in fighting against international terrorism in the
\ncountry. This was welcomed by Howard, who said that discussions
\nbetween government officials were underway.<\/p>\n
\"If an agreement can be reached, there's a possibility this
\nmemorandum of understanding could be signed while I'm here on
\nthis visit,\" he added.<\/p>\n
On the sidelines of the official visit, Indonesia's Minister
\nof Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda said the MoU would cover
\nintelligence information exchanges as well as capacity building.<\/p>\n
Howard is scheduled to meet with a number of Indonesian
\nministers today including Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
\nWirayuda and Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
He will depart for Yogyakarta on Feb. 7 to visit Borobudur
\ntemple and hold a dialogue at Gadjah Mada University in
\nYogyakarta before going to Bali on Feb. 8 and returning to
\nAustralia on the same day.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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