RI reopens its embassy in Havana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is reopening its embassy in Havana
\nafter 10 years because of Cuba's decision to support Indonesia on
\nthe East Timor question.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas on Tuesday installed
\nAroeman as charge d'affaires for the embassy in Havana, which was
\nclosed in 1985 in the course of cost cuts, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
During the past 10 years, the Indonesian ambassador for Mexico
\nhas also held the post as non-resident ambassador for Cuba.<\/p>\n
Alatas was quoted as telling reporters that the Cuban
\ngovernment's stance which had earlier been anti-Indonesia on the
\nEast Timor question changed, as shown during the 49th conference
\nof the United Nations' Human Rights Commission in Geneva in 1993,
\nwhen it voted in support of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Cuba's latest position on the East Timor question shows it is
\nmore supportive of Indonesia,\" Alatas said. \"Besides, our
\nrelations have become more intensive as fellow Non-Aligned
\nMovement members,\" Alatas said after the installation ceremony.<\/p>\n
\"Now we feel a need to reopen the embassy, especially in view
\nof Cuba's decision to send an ambassador to Indonesia since 1992.
\nOn the principle of reciprocity, we should have our own
\nrepresentative there,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alatas on Tuesday also swore in Bahrun Subardjo to head the
\nnew consulate in Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Widodo Surono to
\nhead the Indonesian consulate in Darwin, Australia.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Alatas asked Widodo to be active in countering
\nnegative information about the development in East Timor that are
\ndisseminated by supporters of Fretilin, the East Timor armed
\nseparatist movement.<\/p>\n
Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory, is home to
\nthousands of East Timorese who went into exile because of their
\nopposition to East Timor's 1976 integration with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Noting that some of the East Timorese and their supporters
\noften disrupted the consulate work through various
\ndemonstrations, Alatas said the new consul chief must exercise
\nwisdom in dealing with and neutralizing anti-Indonesian
\ngovernment activities.<\/p>\n
The consulate in Darwin must also deal with Indonesian
\nfishermen who are either caught by the Australian authorities for
\nborder intrusion, or washed ashore on Australian waters, Alatas
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Alatas said the government has decided to open a new consulate
\ngeneral in Johor Bahru because of the huge number of Indonesian
\nworkers living in the southern Malaysian peninsula state.<\/p>\n
He said the growth triangle cooperation linking Johore with
\nSingapore and the Indonesian province of Riau is another reason
\nbehind the decision to open the consulate.<\/p>\n
The consulate, he added, is expected to help with consular
\nwork for Indonesian workers in the territory, he added. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-reopens-its-embassy-in-havana-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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