Howard says he's sorry for Gus Dur

Howard says he's sorry for Gus Dur

SYDNEY (Agencies): Congratulatory remarks on Megawati Soekarnoputri's appointment as president continued from all over the world on Tuesday, including from Australian Prime Minister John Howard who admitted that he felt sorry for ousted Abdurrahman Wahid.

Howard expressed sympathy for the ousted president but said his downfall was part of democracy.

He praised Abdurrahman's contribution to the growth of democracy in Indonesia, saying: "I can feel for his sense of disappointment.

"But the best advice I have is that the process was correct and democratic. The highest legal, judicial authority in Indonesia said that as well," said Howard, who just a month ago met Abdurrahman during the Indonesian president's visit to Australia.

Howard declined to say if he thought Megawati would help smooth bilateral relations, saying only that more time was probably needed to resolve that.

Asked here if he believed the Indonesian Army could become more powerful under Megawati, Howard told reporters: "My sense is that some of those apprehensions have been overdone."

He said Megawati had a long record of support for the evolution of democratic institutions in Indonesia.

"She assumes the leadership of her country at a difficult time," he said as reported by AFP.

"It is a very challenging post, she will have the understanding and the goodwill of my government and I know of the Australian people in the task that she faces in the years ahead."

Separately, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan congratulated Megawati on her election and said he hoped for a peaceful and democratic transition of power.

"Parliament has designated Mrs. Megawati as the new president, and we wish her every success," Annan said.

"I hope that the kind of change that is taking place now will remain peaceful and will be democratic, and that the nation will come together to get themselves out of this difficulty," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's neighbors and fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) welcomed on Tuesday the election of Megawati in an official communique issued at the grouping's annual foreign ministers meeting in Hanoi.

They expressed hope that she would lead the country toward greater stability.

"We welcome the political transition and election of President Megawati Soekarnoputri in Indonesia," the ASEAN communique said.

"We expressed our hope that this orderly and peaceful transition would lead to political stability and speedy economic recovery in Indonesia.

"We reiterated our support for the territorial integrity and national unity of Indonesia. We believe that the stability and prosperity of Indonesia would contribute positively to the peace, stability and prosperity of the region."

The political upheaval in Jakarta dominated the 10-member ASEAN meeting, which began on Monday, and forced Indonesia's foreign minister to cancel his visit.

In Manila, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday wished Megawati -- whose rise to power bears uncanny similarities to her own -- success in overcoming her country's problems.

After sending a congratulatory message to Megawati, Arroyo called the Indonesian leader to personally congratulate her on her assumption of office, Reuters reported.

"I firmly believe that under your able guidance, Indonesia's success in surmounting the economic and political challenges ahead will be advanced and its quest to strengthen its democratic institution will be achieved," Arroyo said in her written message released by the presidential palace.

Arroyo said she looked forward to meeting Megawati.

Arroyo later interrupted a Cabinet meeting she was holding and, using a cell phone, talked with Megawati for five minutes, presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao told reporters.

Both Arroyo and Megawati are daughters of former presidents. Like Megawati, Arroyo's husband is a businessman and, like her, she also has three children. Each has two sons and a daughter. Both presidents are 54 years old and both banked on military support to catapult them to power.

Tiglao said the Arroyo administration expected that Indonesia, under Megawati, would continue to support Manila's efforts to end a Muslim separatist rebellion in the southern Philippines.

Indonesia has helped broker talks between Manila and separatist rebels in the country.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also welcomed on Tuesday Megawati as the new Indonesian president, adding that he hopes there will be no bloodshed in Indonesia.

"Our position is to respect the self-determination of the Indonesian people and congratulate Madame Megawati," Hun Sen said.

"I hope that a compromise solution will be found to avoid bloodshed in Indonesia which is the world's fourth largest country."

In Brussels, the European Union said it recognized and welcomed the peaceful transfer of power to Megawati.

In a letter to Megawati, the head of the EU's executive commission, Romano Prodi, sent his "warmest congratulations" to the new leader.

"We are pleased to see that this vote was taken in the constitutional and democratic spirit, and convinced that Indonesia will continue its progress on the path of stability and development," Prodi said as reported by AP.

In a statement issued late Monday, the 15-nation bloc called for calm and urged "all parties to avoid any possible recourse to violence".

Prodi urged the new leader to push ahead with political and economic reforms, and added that she could count on the support of the EU in such an agenda.