Australia to strive for better relations with Indonesia
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)