Gus Dur, Howard discuss bilateral ties

Gus Dur, Howard discuss bilateral ties

By Kornelius Purba

NEW YORK (JP): President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and
Australian Prime Minister John Howard held bilateral talks here
on Tuesday to further patch-up jarred relations between the two
countries.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the United Nations
Millennium Summit which both leaders were attending.

According to an official statement by Indonesia's Permanent
Representative Office to the UN, President Abdurrahman Wahid
"indicated" during the meeting that he might visit Australia in
October.

Abdurrahman has postponed planned visits to that country
several times due to lingering feelings of displeasure among
several politicians due to the East Timor debacle last year.

Discussion on the former province of East Timor occupied a
large portion of the meeting between the two leaders.

There was also talk of a possible high-level meeting between
Abdurrahman, Howard, the Portuguese leader and East Timor's
leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in Jakarta soon after the
October visit.

The meeting would be focused on the latest developments in
East Timor and the reconstruction of the territory.

Diplomatic relations between Jakarta and Canberra took a dive
following what many in Indonesia saw as Australia's overzealous
support for East Timorese independence, despite having strongly
supported the territory's integration into Indonesia for several
years.

While there have been signs that ties have been improving in
recent months, the fact that Abdurrahman has had to postpone
planned visits to Australia still shows there is resistance in
some sections of Indonesian society.

The issue has been exasperated further by the continuing issue
of East Timorese refugees in the western part of Timor island and
allegations that the Indonesian military is not doing enough to
stop militia activity.

Officials said Abdurrahman and Howard briefly discussed moving
"hardliners" in West Timor to other parts of Indonesia.

But the still somewhat strained relations were again at issue
during the meeting at the Regal UN Plaza Hotel, as Howard
expressed concern that the appointment of Australia's Ambassador-
designate Rick Smith has not been approved by the House of
Representatives.

"Howard told the President to accelerate the accreditation of
the new ambassador as the incumbent Ambassador John McCarthy has
finished his working term in Jakarta," said a source close to the
meeting.

Sophan Sophian, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), who accompanied Abdurrahman
along with legislator Raja Kami Sembiring from the same faction
and political observer Arbi Sanit, during his 12-day overseas
trip, confirmed that Howard expressed concern over the delay.

A constitutional amendment now requires that ambassadorial
nominees to Jakarta receive the approval of the House. Several
legislators had earlier said they were still pending approval of
the Australian ambassador because there were certain issues that
they wanted to look at.

Howard himself was reluctant to talk to Indonesian journalists
after the meeting, saying he would hold a separate press
conference later on.

Indonesian officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs
Alwi Shihab and State Secretary Djohan Effendy, who also attended
the meeting also refused to talk to journalists.

Earlier in the morning Abdurrahman had breakfast with
financier George Soros.

Soros described the meeting as a private one, and hinted he
did not closely follow Indonesia's economic situation.

"I have no major investments in Indonesia," he said.

Sophan, who also attended the breakfast, however, disclosed
that Soros expressed disappointment over the new Cabinet,
especially with the economic team as it was not market friendly.

"Soros told Gus Dur that our economic team was not so
credible," Sophan said referring to the President.

Soros explicitly mentioned the name of Minister of Finance
Prijadi Praptosuhardjo and also asked the President about his
reasons for sacking Laksamana Sukardi as state minister of
investment in April, said Sophan.

"Gus Dur said that Soros had received only one-sided
information. That is why he asked Soros to come to Indonesia.
Soros may come to Jakarta this month," said Sophan.