Alatas honored by Australia

Alatas honored by Australia

JAKARTA (JP): Australian Governor-General Bill Hayden
yesterday honored Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas by
investing him as an Honorary Officer in the Order of Australia.

The award was given for Alatas' efforts in strengthening the
often difficult relations between Jakarta and Canberra.

"I can think of no one more suitable than Mr. Alatas to
receive such an award, in recognition of the distinguished
service he has given to Australian-Indonesian Relations," Hayden
said during the ceremony at the State Guest House.

Hayden arrived yesterday for a five-day visit, which will take
him to the provinces of South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan.
Hayden previously visited Indonesia in 1987, as foreign minister.

"Only a few of these honorary awards are given each year to
non-Australians for distinguished service to our country or
humanity at large," Hayden added.

Alatas is the second Indonesian minister to receive the honor
after Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto.

Among Alatas' many accomplishments, according Hayden, are the
Timor Gap Zone Treaty and the role as co-chairman of the Paris
Conference, which brought about peace in Cambodia.

Apart from the award, Hayden's presence further heightens the
increasingly close relations between the two countries as it
marks the first ever state visit to Indonesia by an Australian
Governor-General.

Later during a dinner reception hosted by President Soeharto
at the State Palace, Hayden stressed the importance and benefits
of Indonesia-Australian ties. "It is true that there have been
uncertainties and misunderstandings in the past. But these have
been overcome by vision and statesmanship."

Hayden expressed Australia's desire to contribute further to
Indonesia's development, saying: "We want to share in the strong
economic growth of our neighbors, especially Indonesia."

He praised Indonesia's economic growth, asserting that its
success has created peace and stability for the region.

"Yours was the inspiration for the formation of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has done much to
contain differences among the dynamic nations of Southeast Asia."

Soeharto in his speech noted that the long standing
relationship between the two countries starts all the way back to
Indonesia's independence struggle.

"The Indonesian people will not forget, that as a close
neighbor, Australia supported the Indonesian people's struggle in
their independence," Soeharto said.(mds)