Australia's Keating may raise media bans with Indonesia

Australia's Keating may raise media bans with Indonesia

CANBERRA (Reuter): Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating is
expected to raise Indonesia's decision to ban three leading local
magazines when he visits Jakarta beginning today, Foreign
Minister Gareth Evans said yesterday.

"I personally believe he will raise the issue," Evans said in
a television interview, adding that it was up to Keating whether
he would register a formal protest.

"I said in parliament that it was a matter for the prime
minister to himself decide how to convey Australia's views on
this or any other matter of concern," Evans told Network Ten's
"Meet the Press" program.

On Wednesday, Evans criticized the bans as very disappointing
and in stark contrast to a previous trend towards free
expression.

A day earlier Indonesia banned the weeklies DeTIK, Editor and
Tempo, saying they had failed to heed previous warnings not to
stray beyond government limits.

The bans were the first in four years and followed more than a
year of unprecedented openness in which the three publications
led broadening coverage of usually sensitive political issues.

Keating is visiting Indonesia to take part in the Australia
Today Indonesia 1994, a major trade and cultural exhibition.

He is also scheduled to hold talks with Indonesian leaders.

Senior government officials said Keating was likely to raise
his proposal for a widening of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
to include Australia and New Zealand.