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)