Downer to visit Indonesia

Downer to visit Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Alexander Downer will add to the list of dignitaries who have
visited Indonesia over the past two weeks with his scheduled
Sunday arrival for a three-day visit.

In a press release received here yesterday, Downer described
the visit as an important opportunity to personally extend the
Australian government's support of the Indonesian government as
it implements the measures set out by the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) package which was announced last week.

"Australia, as a friend and close neighbor, has significant
bilateral and regional interests in Indonesia overcoming its
current economic difficulties," he said.

Downer said that during the visit he would also discuss the
impact of the drought in Irian Jaya and further options for
Australian assistance.

President Soeharto promised wide-ranging and painful reforms
in a new deal with IMF.

The reform program is part of a three-year IMF standby
arrangement giving the government access to US$43 billion in
funds to restore international confidence and arrest the slide of
the rupiah against the U.S. dollar.

The reforms, stipulated in a 13-document personally signed by
Soeharto, came amid a slew of foreign dignitaries arriving here
to talk with Indonesian officials about the economic crisis. (10)