Bolger plans Indonesian visit amid name calling

JAKARTA (JP): New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger is scheduled to arrive here Monday for a two-day visit in the face of Jakarta's growing annoyance at comments about East Timor by officials in Wellington.

The cordial state of relations between the two countries began to show ripples of discontent a fortnight ago, with a harsh petition by New Zealand members of parliament on Jakarta's policy in East Timor.

"We have seen for some time that a number of members in New Zealand's parliament have begun agitating on the issue of East Timor," Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday.

Members of the House of Representative (DPR), notably head of DPR's Commission I on foreign affairs Aisyah Aminy, voiced their discontent at the apparent bias of the petition.

B.N. Marbun from the PDI faction criticized the New Zealand parliamentarians, underlining that "none of them have ever been to East Timor so whatever they say is mere fantasy concocted from inferior data."

Asked about the probable motivations, Aisyah believed it to be a lack of information.

According to Reuters, 51 out of New Zealand's 99 MPs signed the petition which also objected to PM Bolger's upcoming visit.

The situation was further aggravated when New Zealand's Governor-General Catherine Tizard, in a rare show of political parochialism, expressed concern over the situation in East Timor.

Tizard's comments were made on Wednesday when she accepted the letter of credential from Indonesia's ambassador T. Dahlia Soemolang.

Here in Jakarta, New Zealand's Ambassador Timothy Groser told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the recent statements made in Wellington did not reflect the view of the government.

"New Zealand fully recognizes the integration of East Timor as part of Indonesia," he said.

Amicable

However Groser declined to comment on Tizard's remarks, which were reportedly approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"Ask the Prime Minister when he comes," said the ambassador.

When asked about the reasons for the recent wave of protests, Groser called it a consequence of a recently televised documentary on East Timor produced by Australian John Pilger.

Both Groser and his counselor, David Kersey, said relations between the two countries remained amicable despite these statements.

"We believe Indonesia plays a substantial role in maintaining political stability," Kersey asserted.

They said New Zealand was now looking closely towards fostering closer relations with its Asian neighbors culturally, politically and economically.

Bolger's visit is meant as a way of achieving those objectives as part of his government's Asia 2000 program, Groser said.

Apart from President Soeharto, PM Bolger is scheduled to hold meetings with Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto and Coordinating Minister for Industry and Finance Saleh Afiff. (mds)