Australia denies making illegal flyovers

Australia denies making illegal flyovers

JAKARTA (JP): Australia denied on Wednesday claims by the
Indonesia government that its aircraft had illegally entered
Indonesian airspace.

"The Australian government wishes to refute claims carried in
the Indonesian media yesterday that Australian aircraft entered
Indonesian airspace without authority," read a statement issued
by the Australian Embassy here on Wednesday.

"When the alleged sightings were first raised with the Embassy
in November last year a detailed investigation was carried out.
The investigation found that no Australian aircraft was in the
area mentioned at the time of the reported sighting."

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry last week sent a diplomatic
letter to the Australian Embassy demanding an explanation of
illicit flights allegedly made by Australian airplanes over the
Maluku Islands.

The flights were said to have occurred in November and one,
allegedly an Australian Air Force C-130, had a call sign of
"Ausy-1020".

The Australian Embassy's Public Affairs Counselor Kirk
Coningham told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that Canberra had
yet to officially respond to the letter.

"It will be very soon, but I cannot give you a timetable," he
said.

The Embassy statement said there was only one Australian
Defense Force (ADF) aircraft in Indonesian airspace in the period
19/20 November. This was a Boeing 707 enroute to Brunei that had
diplomatic clearance and did not overfly Ambon.

"There is no ADF call sign 'Ausy 1020'- Australian military
aircraft call signs have only three numbers," the statement said.

The embassy also claimed that whenever an Australian
government aircraft enters Indonesian airspace it does so in
strict accordance with international law or with the direct
authority of the Indonesian government.

Diplomatic relations between Jakarta and Canberra have gone
through a rough patch following the East Timor debacle.

Canberra attempted to make the first move in repairing
relations by dispatching Foreign Minister Alexander Downer here
last month but the government under Abdurrahman Wahid despite its
official statements has remained somewhat aloof to the prospect.

Meanwhile Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on
Wednesday that Australia, Indonesia and East Timor must rebuild
relations.

Howard told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio that
Australia's strong leading role in the international force sent
to East Timor "put a bit of a dent" in the relationship with
Indonesia.

"But it is slowly mending; it's very important that we rebuild
that relationship," Howard said.

He also called on East Timor to mend bridges with Indonesia.

"We are encouraging the East Timorese to try to rebuild their
relationship with Indonesia ... you really need to have the three
countries working together," Howard said. (04)