Aussie PM to reaffirm commitment to Asia

Aussie PM to reaffirm commitment to Asia

CANBERRA (AFP): Australian Prime Minister John Howard will stress his government's commitment to strengthening ties with Asia during his first bilateral talks overseas as leader next week, a government official said yesterday.

"The basic message for the Prime Minister will be to affirm his commitment to the region," the official said.

Howard departs on Monday for the Indonesian capital Jakarta, where talks with President Soeharto and senior ministers are expected to focus on both sides' plans for regional and bilateral economic integration.

He will then fly to Tokyo, where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and other ministers, and pay a courtesy visit to Emperor Akihito.

Government officials said Howard was well aware of the significance regional leaders would attach to his decision to visit the region before heading further afield, especially the choice of Indonesia and Japan for his first bilateral talks overseas.

His government has already sent Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer to Jakarta twice, while Defense Minister Ian McLachlan has also held high-level talks in Indonesia.

At least three government ministers, including Treasurer Peter Costello, have visited Japan since Howard's coalition government won office in March.

"In places like Japan and Indonesia they'll be very keen to hear what the prime minister has to say about the approach he and the government are going to take to the region, and to those countries," the official said.

"One of the top priorities for him will be to establish a good working relationship with both President Soeharto and Prime Minister Hashimoto. For Australia it is very important to have close relationships (with those leaders)."

In both capitals Howard has planned several private dinners and meetings with leading local business figures.

The trip was originally scheduled for August, but was postponed after Howard's wife Janette required surgery -- making his early September trip to the South Pacific Forum in the Marshall Islands his first overseas foray as prime minister.