Habibie starts 10-day visit to Australia
Habibie starts 10-day visit to Australia
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie arrived in Perth last Sunday evening for a 10-day tour, signifying a new chapter in the two countries' historically troubled relationship.
Sponsored by Australian Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Peter Cook, Habibie hopes to boost bilateral cooperation in the areas of energy, aviation, bio-technology and environmental management.
With an entourage of 50 people, Habibie's schedule includes stopovers in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.
Prior to his arrival, several political analysts in Australia noted the importance of a visit by Habibie, a close confidant of Indonesia's President Soeharto.
It has also been suggested that Habibie's four-state Australian tour is a precursor to a possible visit by Soeharto.
Despite minor irritants, such as Canberra's claims of human rights abuses in Indonesia, relations have in recent years been at a high.
Over the past four years, Prime Minister Paul Keating has made four trips to Indonesia, which Australia now considers its "most important country".
In September, Vice President Try Sutrisno became the highest ranking Indonesian official to visit Australia in two decades.
A subsequent state visit by Soeharto would punctuate Keating's efforts to solidify relations with Indonesia.
Habibie's arrival on Sunday, however, got off to a rather inauspicious start when some 120 protesters greeted him at his hotel.
The loud, albeit peaceful, crowd of demonstrators carried placards and yelled for Habibie to return home until East Timor was free.
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as part of Indonesia in 1976. Canberra acknowledges Jakarta's sovereignty over the territory despite the United Nations' persistence in recognizing Lisbon as the administrative power.
As reported by AFP, former Australian senator Gordon McIntosh was among the demonstrators that delivered letters of protest to Habibie.
During his visit to Australia Habibie is expected to promote the sale of the Indonesian-built CN-235 airplane.
Back in Jakarta, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told journalists that Soeharto spoke with Keating for a half-an-hour by phone yesterday.
Moerdiono said the conversation focused mostly on steps to further improve ties between the two countries.
He added that the results and implementation of the Bogor Declaration made by the 18-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum was also discussed. (mds)