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.