Howard to meet Megawati on Sunday
Howard to meet Megawati on Sunday
CANBERRA (AP): Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday that
talks next week with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri
will open a new and positive phase in relations between the giant
neighbors.
Howard flies to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Sunday
and will be the first world leader to visit Megawati since she
was appointed president almost three weeks ago. Megawati was
sworn in after the national assembly dismissed her predecessor
Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesia's first elected president in four
decades.
Howard said the timing was the most important aspect of the
visit.
"A very early meeting with the new Indonesian president at the
highest level - I think that of itself is very important," Howard
said.
"What we'll be signaling by that meeting is that relations
between our two countries have entered a new phase, a phase of
what I might call positive realism," he added.
Howard said Australia and Indonesia were now "realistic about
some of our differences, but we're positive about the things that
we have in common and the importance of us having a close
relationship."
Abdurrahman said Thursday he is angry at the Australian
government for moving so quickly to congratulate Megawati after
his ousting, and would refuse to see Howard if he sought a
meeting.
Abdurrahman visited Australia in June and did much to restore
ties damaged by Australia's leadership of an international force
that restored peace to East Timor after the former Indonesian
province's August 1999 vote for independence.
"If you are John Howard and you come to Jakarta, as I heard,
on the 12th (of August) and he (wants) to see me, I will not see
him," Abdurrahman told Radio Australia.
"I have done very much for Indonesia and Australia's
relationship but he did so little," he added.
Abdurrahman said he would in future refuse to see the
Australian ambassador to Indonesia and that would continue to be
his policy should he contest and win the presidential election in
2004.