Fraser pays courtesy call on Mega

Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser paid a courtesy call on President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday, in which they discussed various issues, including the Iraqi crisis.

During the 30-minute meeting, Fraser briefed Megawati on a two-day conference attended by former heads of state that called for a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis.

"He was just telling the President that the meeting opposed unilateral acts from the U.S. in dealing with the crisis, which ignored the role of United Nations," Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said after accompanying Megawati during the meeting.

The United States and Britain are building up their military strength in the Middle East to attack Iraq for allegedly producing and storing weapons of mass destruction.

Fraser told Megawati that he was against the decision of Australian Prime Minister John Howard to send troops to assist the United States in disarming Iraqi President Saddam Husein.

Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla also accompanied Megawati during the meeting.

Fraser was among four former heads of state who attended the meeting of the InterAction Council here from March 11 through March 12. Former president B.J. Habibie, former Dutch prime minister Andreas van Agt and former Ecuadorian president Jamil Mahuad also attended.

The meeting recommended on Wednesday that the Iraqi crisis be solved peacefully and through the United Nations. --JP