Bolger plans Indonesian visit amid name calling

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)