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.