RI, Australian ministers to have high-level talks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ministers from Indonesia and Australia are to
\nmeet at the end of the week in a high-level discussion in an
\neffort to further jump start ties which have been on a downward
\nslope since the East Timor issue last year.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli, Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Alwi Shihab, Minister of Industry and Trade Lt.
\nGen. (ret.) Luhut Panjaitan, Minister of National Education Yahya
\nMuhaimin and Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Sarwono
\nKusumaatmaja are slated to attend the meeting, which is expected
\nto take place in Canberra on Thursday and Friday.<\/p>\n
The Australian delegation is due to be led by Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Alexander Downer, Minister of Trade Mark Vaile,
\nMinister of Industry Nick Minchin and Attorney General Daryl
\nWilliams.<\/p>\n
Alwi confirmed that the meeting would go ahead after a
\ndiscussion with President Abdurrahman Wahid at Merdeka Palace on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
The meeting is actually part of the Indonesia-Australia
\nMinisterial Forum, which regularly takes place and usually
\nfocuses on enhancing economic ties.<\/p>\n
However, the planned meeting is seen as a strategic starting
\npoint to help boost ties which have gone through an extremely
\nrocky period since Australia led a multinational force in East
\nTimor last year.<\/p>\n
Some also see the visit as a precursor of a possible visit to
\nAustralia by President Abdurrahman Wahid, which has been
\npostponed several times due to strong opposition from
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
The Ministerial Forum meeting was originally scheduled for
\nNovember, but was canceled after Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri insisted that all Indonesian Cabinet ministers stay
\nin the country during the fasting month to focus on solving
\ndomestic issues.<\/p>\n
Both Alwi and Rizal said Megawati supported the visit as she
\nstressed great importance on bilateral ties with Australia.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia Arizal
\nEffendi as saying in Canberra that this would be an important
\nmeeting as the two governments would exchange ideas on how to
\nrealize bilateral ties in the economic, political, social and
\ncultural sectors.<\/p>\n
The meeting, he said, would also show that despite strains in
\ntheir diplomatic relations, Indonesia and Australia were ready to
\nhold talks.<\/p>\n
Arizal said the Australian delegation had reportedly expressed
\nhope that the meeting would discuss the situation in the restive
\nprovince of Irian Jaya and illegal migrants to Australia who have
\nused Indonesia as an entry point.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the sudden decision to reconvene the meeting,
\nArizal said: \"Maybe the (Indonesian) ministers are sure that
\nthere is no more work to do in December, so that they rescheduled
\ntheir meeting with their Australian counterparts\".<\/p>\n
Meanwhile AP quoted Downer as saying that \"should it go ahead,
\nI think we can have a very constructive and useful meeting\".<\/p>\n
Asked about the continued bloodshed occurring in Irian Jaya,
\nDowner reiterated Australia's support for Indonesia's sovereignty
\nover the province.<\/p>\n
\"Obviously, we are concerned about the reports of fatalities
\nin Irian Jaya. And we have said all along that we would like to
\nsee an exercise of restraint by all parties,\" Downer said.<\/p>\n
\"But we have also made it clear all along that we support
\nIndonesian sovereignty in Irian Jaya,\" he said in Canberra.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-australian-ministers-to-have-high-level-talks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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