Australia supports a unified Indonesia

Australia supports a unified Indonesia

CANBERRA (Agencies): Australia, at the end of a two-day
ministerial forum with Indonesia on Friday, asserted, in a joint
statement, that it welcomed Indonesia's continuing political and
economic reform and underlined its commitment to support Jakarta
as it battled the spectre of disintegration.

"Australia reiterated strong support for Indonesia's
territorial integrity, noting that Australia's national interests
were closely linked to Indonesia's stability and prosperity," the
statement said.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer later said he had
assured his Indonesian counterparts that Australia strongly
supported Irian Jaya, the region of Indonesia closest to
Australia, remaining part of Indonesia.

"We don't give any comfort to those who seek independence," he
told reporters as quoted by AFP.

"It is the judgment of the Australian government - not just
political judgment, it is the judgment of the Australian
bureaucracy.

"I should say without exception, that the break-off of parts
of Indonesia, including Irian Jaya, would be a strategic disaster
for Indonesia's neighbors."

The talks, attended by 11 Australian ministers and five from
Indonesia, were aimed in large measure at improving bilateral
ties that became strained by Australia's military role in East
Timor after last year's ballot.

The Australian-Indonesian Ministerial Forum, the fifth to be
held since 1992, has also produced a Joint Plan of Action to
promote bilateral trade and investment.

Downer and Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab
announced the agreements at the end of the two-day ministerial
meeting.

Australia and Indonesia agreed to step up bilateral trade and
investment and that, as the first step, an Australian trade
delegation to be led by Trade Minister Mark Vaile, will visit
Indonesia early next year.

The two countries have also agreed that Australian and
Indonesian trade ministers would hold annual meetings.

Downer said Australia would support Indonesia's National
Agency for Export Development (NAFED) and help develop policy on
Indonesian trade law through training programs and the provision
of scholarships.

Australia also said it would help develop the eastern part of
Indonesia by promoting investments in the region.

It is also ready to offer more scholarships for Indonesians
who want to learn English in Australia.

The meeting agreed that Australia would provide Indonesian
patrol ships in an effort to reduce illegal immigrants who see
Indonesia as an entrance to Australia, Antara reported.

Besides Alwi, other members of the Indonesian delegation who
attended the meeting were Industry and Trade Minister Luhut
Panjaitan, Agriculture Minister Bungaran Saragih, Education
Minister Yahya Muhaimin, as well as Marine and Fishery Minister
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.

While the Australian delegation included Downer, Industry
Minister Nicholas Minchin, Transportation Minister John Anderson,
Finance Minister Peter Castelo, Education Minister David Kemp,
Environment Minister Robert Hill, Agriculture Minister Warren
Truss, Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock, Health Minister
Michael Wooldridge, as well as Attorney General Daryl Williams
and Deputy Finance Minister Rod Kemp.

The Australian and Indonesian ministers also agreed to
consider a proposal raised by Indonesian President Abdurrahman
Wahid last month for a new regional West Pacific Forum to group
Australia, Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand
and possibly the Philippines.

Alwi said Jakarta could host a meeting of foreign ministers of
the six countries early next year to discuss the forum, which
would deal with economic, political and social issues.

"We have the conviction that regional stability and the
prosperity of the participating countries is of concern to us,"
Shihab told a news conference.

The next Australia-Indonesia ministerial forum meeting is
expected to be held in Jakarta sometime in mid-2002.