Govt to pursue good relations with E. Timor<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a clear message to forget the bitter past and look toward the
\nfuture, the government said on Thursday that Indonesia would keep
\ngood relations with the newly born state of East Timor.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said that future
\nrelations with East Timor could not be separated from regional
\nrelations with the other Pacific countries.<\/p>\n
Hassan emphasized, \"the existence of East Timor must not
\naffect regional stability.\"<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said, the government would develop harmonious
\nrelations with the tiny state despite the bitter association of
\nthe past years.<\/p>\n
\"We may see it (East Timor) as a small entity, but in fact it
\nis a sovereign country that has the right to do various
\nactivities,\" Hassan told a hearing with House Commission I for
\nforeign and defense affairs.<\/p>\n
He said that the relations with East Timor should be put in
\nthe regional context, therefore Indonesia would strengthen ties
\nwith the West and Southwest Pacific countries.<\/p>\n
He disclosed that a meeting of senior officials of this region
\nwould be held later this month and a ministerial meeting would be
\nheld in July.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that past relations both with Australia and
\nEast Timor were too emotional, and therefore a better
\nrelationship needed to be created.<\/p>\n
During the hearing, several legislators cynically questioned
\nthe benefit Indonesia could reap from the recent visit of
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri to Dili, but the minister simply
\nsaid that the benefit of political activities could not be
\nmeasured.<\/p>\n
Politicians earlier suggested that Megawati skip her Dili trip
\nto attend the declaration ceremony of the country's independence,
\nbut most of them changed their stance shortly after the President
\nconfirmed her intention to push through with the visit.<\/p>\n
Hasan said that during her four-hour visit the President had
\nno opportunity to have bilateral talks with East Timor President
\nXanana Gusmao.<\/p>\n
\"If there was conversation, I think it was of personal
\nmatters,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-pursue-good-relations-with-e-timor-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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