Taylor returns to Australia with good memories<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Australian Ambassador Allan Taylor is
\nreturning to Canberra today, ending a four-year term as head of
\none of Jakarta's largest embassies.<\/p>\n
"I enjoyed it very much. For me it was a great honor to have
\nbeen ambassador in Jakarta," Taylor said yesterday on his last
\nfull day in charge.<\/p>\n
Taylor will be succeeded by John McCarthy, formerly ambassador
\nto the United States.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Taylor said the highlight of his
\nterm here was helping to foster important developments in the
\nrelationship between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Australia is one of Indonesia's most important neighbors, and
\nwhile relations have often been strained by recurrent spats, ties
\nhave continued to strengthen overall since the late 1980s.<\/p>\n
During his four years here, Taylor endured some tough times
\nincluding the infamous Mantiri and Kupa affairs.<\/p>\n
While Canberra had already accepted the nomination of retired
\nLt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri as new envoy to replace Sabam Siagian,
\nJakarta was forced to withdraw its nomination after a public
\noutcry over an old statement Mantiri had made on East Timor.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year it was Canberra's turn to withdraw its
\nnomination for Taylor's replacement after Jakarta began
\nquestioning the selection of Miles Kupa, a man known to be highly
\ncritical of President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Other scrapes included the burning of an Australian flag by
\nprotesters in front of the embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in
\nretaliation to a similar incident to the Indonesian flag in
\nCanberra.<\/p>\n
For several days, the Australian embassy also had to "host"
\nTimorese anti-integrationists who jumped the fence and sought
\nasylum. After the Timorese left they claimed they had been
\nmistreated during their stay at the embassy. The accusations
\nhowever were never proven and quickly died.<\/p>\n
Despite these adventures, Taylor still described his stay as
\nenjoyable.<\/p>\n
The archipelago is not new to Taylor. "It was my second
\nposting here and as a result of that I think I was in a position
\nto enjoy it more in seeing the country 20-years ago and seeing
\nthe developments since," he said.<\/p>\n
Prior to being sent here in April 1993, Taylor served as
\nAustralian High Commissioner to Nigeria. He has also served as
\nDeputy High Commissioner to Wellington, and in the embassy in
\nBangkok.<\/p>\n
Despite having traveled much, Taylor admits he would have
\nliked to have spent time getting to know even more about
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
"I spent most of my travels in and out of the provincial
\ncapitals. I would have liked to spend more time getting to know
\npeople in the areas that I visited," he remarked.<\/p>\n
Upon his return to Australia, Taylor will be an advisor on
\ninternational affairs at the Department of the Prime Minister and
\nthe Cabinet.<\/p>\n
"It's the area of the prime minister and cabinet that looks
\nafter the prime minister's interests in international relations,"
\nhe explained. (mds)<\/p>",
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