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)