Most Australians want 'harder' line towards RI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Allan R.
\nTaylor said yesterday a majority of Australians want their
\ngovernment to take a \"harder\" line towards Indonesia,
\nparticularly in connection with the latter's human rights record.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a discussion held by the Indonesian Executive
\nCircle, the ambassador added that the majority of Australians
\nalso wanted even closer ties between their country and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Taylor said that, despite progress in various matters of
\nmutual concern, there are still complex and sensitive issues
\nwhich will require continued effort on the part of both
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
\"One of the most important of these is the area of human
\nrights,\" he told an audience which included several senior
\ndiplomats. Among those in attendance was Non-Aligned Movement
\nAmbassador at Large in Charge of Latin America and the Caribbean,
\nHasnan Habib.<\/p>\n
\"It's a field in which we have developed a frank and
\ncontinuing dialog about a range of questions with the Indonesian
\ngovernment, bilaterally and multilaterally,\" Taylor continued.<\/p>\n
In that dialogue, he said, the Australian government seeks to
\nreinforce its support for universally-accepted norms in support
\nof fundamental human rights. These encompass civil, political,
\neconomic and social rights, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Our approach is non-discriminatory and does not shy away from
\ncriticism of Australia,\" he said. \"The situation in the province
\nof East Timor remains an important part of that dialogue.\"<\/p>\n
Taylor quoted Prime Minister Paul Keating, who commented
\nrecently that \"all the achievements of Indonesia, all of the
\ndevelopment of its economy, the reduction of the poverty level,
\nthe spread of education -- all of it has been diminished by East
\nTimor.\"<\/p>\n
\"We are committed to working through human rights issues in
\nways which we judge most likely to be effective,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hasnan Habib criticized Taylor's focus on the East Timor
\nquestion. He pointed out that there have been allegations of
\nhuman rights abuses in Aceh and other parts of Indonesia as well,
\nbut that these have not drawn any strong reaction from Australia.<\/p>\n
\"Why the special attention to East Timor, unless in your sub-
\nconscious you still see Indonesia as a threat to Australia?,\"
\nHasnan asked.<\/p>\n
Taylor acknowledged the extra sensitivity shown on the
\nquestion of East Timor, but said that Australia had been
\nconsistent in its stance on alleged human rights abuses, whether
\nthey occurred in Aceh or in any other part of the world.<\/p>\n
Hasnan described the relationship between Australia and
\nIndonesia as lacking a solid foundation, even unfriendly.<\/p>\n
Taylor disagreed. \"I believe we're very friendly,\" Taylor
\nsaid, while adding that much still needs to be done to establish
\neven firmer relations.<\/p>\n
\"The potential of the Australia-Indonesia relationship is
\nclearly enormous,\" he said. Quoting Keating again, he said that
\n\"no relationship Australia has offers greater potential, on the
\nsocial, the cultural or the economic front, than this one with
\nIndonesia.\"<\/p>\n
\"But we know this potential will not be realized without
\neffort. We cannot be and are not complacent,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also promised that Australia would seek \"enhancement of
\nstrategic cooperation between the two countries' defense forces,
\nat a level comfortable to us both.\"<\/p>\n
\"We will work on ways of strengthening people-to-people
\ncontacts to promote further understanding between us and seek to
\nreduce gaps of ignorance and misunderstanding,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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