Australia to strive for better relations with Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Australia will give priority to practical measures in business, economics and education as part of an effort to improve strained ties with Indonesia, Australian Ambassador Richard Campbell Smith said on Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists after a luncheon with the Indonesia- Australia Business Council (IABC), Smith said it was more important for Canberra to focus on practical work that touched the lives of the people.

"We are focusing on the area of practical work...the bigger picture will work itself out. Business, economics, education and communications between ministers are what I think will be the most important," Smith said.

Smith presented his credentials to President Abdurrahman Wahid on Jan. 17, replacing John Mc Carthy. He once served as Australian envoy to the People's Republic of China and is said to be one of the most senior diplomats in Canberra.

He further said that defense matters would not be the first priority to receive attention, saying that military ties between the two countries would grow over time.

Smith underlined that the ministerial forum involving the two countries which was held late last year had formulated an entire plan of action in the economic field and that Canberra was willing to see the action plan through so as to improve strained ties.

"We are going to work from there as well as through working groups to deal with all kinds of problems and so on," Smith remarked.

Smith also announced that next week a group of Australian companies that are interested in investing in Indonesia would pay a visit to see the business opportunities available in the country.

"I cannot name a figure (for possible investments), but the most important thing is that we try to make them come here and take a look at the situation," he said.

Bilateral ties between the two countries have gone through an extremely difficult period since Australia led a multinational force into East Timor last year.

On December, ministers from Indonesia and Australia held a two-day meeting in Canberra and conducted high-level discussions in an effort to further jump start ties while focusing on enhanced economic relations.

Smith admitted that there had been strains, as everybody was aware, over the last couple of years between the two countries. However, after the December meeting, the governments managed to inject some new thinking so as to enhance relations.

Commenting on the current political situation in Indonesia, Smith said: "What we want to see is a united and democratic Indonesia, one in which the rule of law prevails. Apart from that, what happens here is Indonesia's business." (dja)