Ottawa-Jakarta diplomatic rift is over: Ali Alatas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Ali
\nAlatas yesterday said the mild diplomatic rift between Jakarta
\nand Ottawa was over and that the accusations thrown by an East
\nTimorese dissident in Canada were groundless.<\/p>\n
\"Well, I do think that it has cooled down,\" he said when asked
\nabout a recent exchange of diplomatic notes between the two
\ngovernments over an incident in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Newly appointed Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
\nInternational Trade, Lloyd Axworthy, earlier this month issued a
\ndiplomatic note protesting against the visit by Indonesia's
\nambassador in Ottawa Benjamin Parwoto to the mother of an
\nTimorese dissident on Jan. 20 in Dili, East Timor.<\/p>\n
Axworthy said Parwoto visit had \"intimidated\" Theresa Galhos
\nand put pressure on her daughter, Isabel, to stop her anti-
\nIndonesian activities in Canada.<\/p>\n
Isabel Galhos is a former exchange student who has now become
\na Canadian citizen.<\/p>\n
Indonesia promptly denied Ottawa's accusations and summoned
\nCanadian Ambassador Lawrence T. Dickerson to hand over a verbal
\nnote expressing Jakarta's deep regret at Ottawa's actions.<\/p>\n
Jakarta warned that it was concerned with the activities of
\n\"certain parties\" in Canada which could disrupt relations between
\nthe two countries.<\/p>\n
\"We have called in the Canadian Ambassador and explained that
\nwhat is being reported in the news by Isabel is untrue. It is not
\nbased on any facts,\" Alatas said.<\/p>\n
Ottawa has been a staunch critic of Indonesia's policy in East
\nTimor. Following the Nov. 12, 1991 incident in Dili in which
\nseveral demonstrators were killed in a clash with security
\nforces, Ottawa was one of the first to freeze its aid to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Alatas said Isabel's accusations were possibly an attempt to
\ndisgrace Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"She is probably just looking for a bit of sensationalism in
\nan attempt to incite anti-Indonesian sentiment,\" Alatas remarked.<\/p>\n
Despite leading a successful business trip to Indonesia in
\nJanuary, Prime Minister Jean Chretien received much flak at home
\nfor his \"business as usual\" approach, in light of the human
\nrights allegations directed against Jakarta. (mds)<\/p>",
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