Australia to stick with RI

Australia to stick with RI

SYDNEY (DPA): Australia will not renege on its commitment to provide 1 billion U.S. dollars of the 43-billion-U.S.-dollar rescue package the International Monetary Fund has put together to help Indonesia out of its worst economic jam in 30 years.

Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday it was in Australia's interests to see the Indonesian economy revive under the leadership of President B.J. Habibie, the country's first new leader in 32 years.

"We have to sell abroad. We can't survive on our own. You need economies abroad that are able to buy our goods and services. It's in our interests to help those countries," Howard said.