President delays Australian visit<\/p>\n
NEW YORK (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has again decided
\nto delay his plan to visit Australia following mounting domestic
\nopposition.<\/p>\n
The President was quoted as saying by foreign minister Alwi
\nShihab on Tuesday that the Australian trip had been rescheduled
\nuntil after the general session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly to be held from Aug. 5 through Aug. 12.<\/p>\n
This is the second postponement of the President's visit to
\nAustralia; the first was planned for May. Abdurrahman, better
\nknown as Gus Dur, reiterated his desire to make a trip to
\nAustralia during his meeting with Australian prime minister John
\nHoward in Tokyo last week.<\/p>\n
Alwi said the delay was meant to respect aspirations from some
\nquarters, including House of Representatives' legislators, who
\ndid not agree with the plan.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur needs to accommodate their aspirations,\" he said on
\nthe sidelines of the President's meeting with UN Secretary-
\nGeneral Kofi Annan in New York.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman had said he planned to hold a three-day meeting
\nbetween himself, Howard and East Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao in
\nJuly.<\/p>\n
The President noted that the planned visit to Australia --
\nwhich would have been the first by an Indonesian president to
\nCanberra in 25 years -- had drawn much criticism and opposition
\nat home.<\/p>\n
He said Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri had expressed
\nher disagreement over the planned visit during a Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung has also
\ncalled on the President to postpone the Australian trip.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman lashed out on Tuesday at the criticism, saying it
\nwas based on \"narrow nationalism\". He added, however, that in an
\neffort to minimize the domestic problems related to the visit, he
\nhad decided to postpone it.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's relations with Australia became strained following
\nresentment over Australia's prominent role in the breakaway of
\nEast Timor from Indonesia last year. (byg\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-delays-australian-visit-1447893297",
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