Alatas calls for cool heads in Indonesia-Australia ties
Alatas calls for cool heads in Indonesia-Australia ties
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas warned on Friday that ties between Indonesia and Australia
were at historic lows and urged both sides to refrain from
further aggravating the situation.
"Relations between Indonesia and Australia are at their lowest
ebb in the history of the two countries.
"Both sides should cool down and attempt to reduce the heated
atmosphere. Let the situation settle," he said.
The once close diplomatic ties between Jakarta and Canberra
have been shattered by recent developments in East Timor.
Many Indonesians felt Australia was overzealous in blaming
Indonesia for the violence which erupted in East Timor following
the historic Aug. 30 referendum there, and suspected its motives
for its apparent eagerness in sending troops to the territory.
In the wake of the ballot in East Timor, the Australian
government issued several strong statements condemning the
Indonesian government's failure to curb the violence in the
territory. This was followed by the boycott of Indonesian
products and services by several Australian trade unions.
Speaking after the swearing in of the Indonesian consulate
generals for Hong Kong, the Philippines and Vietnam, Alatas
lamented superfluous statements from both countries which further
damaged ties.
"For example, there were certain statements which weren't
appropriate from Australia, which were responded to by Indonesia.
Then demonstrations followed," he said.
When asked about the International Force for East Timor's
(Interfet) concern of pro-Jakarta militias based in neighboring
East Nusa Tenggara launching attacks in East Timor, Alatas said
Indonesia would not support such activities.
"However, if the integration fighters put up a struggle in
East Timor itself, it would be difficult (for us) to stop them.
At the most, we could probably try and convince them to express
their discontent through political channels and not with
weapons," Alatas said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian
Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto said he hoped the United
Nations would send a peacekeeping force to East Timor comprised
mainly of Asian countries when Interfet handed over security in
the territory to the international body.
"The presence of Asian troops in the territory will be more
easily accepted by a greater majority of the East Timorese due to
their similar cultural values," TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat
quoted Wiranto as saying. Wiranto met with his Philippine
counterpart Gen. A.T. Reyes here on Friday.
Wiranto said an anti-Western sentiment was rife among East
Timorese because of alleged irregularities in the UN-sponsored
ballot on Aug. 30. The ballot was administered by the UN Mission
in East Timor (UNAMET), of which Australians made up the
majority.
Separately, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M.
Sianipar said on Friday the dossier of Australian citizen Saul
Francis Dalton, who illegally entered Timika, Irian Jaya, would
be handed over to the local prosecutor's office within a week.
Togar said Dalton was not currently being detained because
police had no reason to hold him.
"We have his passport with us. He's not going anywhere," Togar
said at National Police Headquarters.
Togar said the Australian, who entered Irian Jaya with a
UNAMET visa, would be charged with spreading hatred against the
Indonesian government, overstaying his visa and carrying a sharp
weapon. (ylt/rms/mds)