Indonesia and Australia need each other: Soeharto
Indonesia and Australia need each other: Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto expects Wirjono Sastrowardojo, Indonesia's ambassador-designate for Canberra, to keep up strong relations with Australia under the new conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard.
"We have to build close relations with our southern neighbor, because we need each another," Wirjono quoted the President as saying after meeting with the head of state at the latter's Jl. Cendana residence yesterday.
"Indonesia considers its relations with Australia important, and we have established solid bridges with them in the fields of politics, trade, economics, culture, education and technology," said the ambassador-designate.
Wirjono, who has just returned from Paris where he was serving as Indonesia's ambassador, was reporting to the President for a briefing on his new assignment in Canberra.
A career diplomat, Wirjono was appointed to the Canberra post after a controversy broke out between Indonesia and Australia over the original choice for ambassador, Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri.
Mantiri's appointment was dropped at the last minute in July because of the controversy, and the Indonesian post in Canberra has been left vacant ever since.
Wirjono, who had to cut short his term in Paris, is expected to travel to Canberra later this month.
Wirjono declined to comment on how bilateral relations will be affected following Saturday's election of John Howard of the Liberal Party as prime minister in place of Paul Keating, who has had a good rapport with Soeharto.
"Obviously every leader has his own style. But I think we should wait for the new prime minister to announce his moves, especially his foreign policy," he said.
He also declined to speculate if Howard would choose Indonesia for his first overseas trip, like Keating did four years ago. "But if he decides to come here, Indonesia will extend a warm welcome," he added.
Wirjono underlined that it was under the leadership of the Liberal Party, not Labor, when the Australian government recognized the integration of East Timor with Indonesia. "So, as many observers have said, we don't expect major changes in Australia's relations with Indonesia."
Defense ties
Meanwhile, a senior Armed Forces (ABRI) officer said the strong defense ties between Indonesia and Australia are not likely to be affected by the change of guard in Canberra.
"All this time our defense relations have never been affected by political issues between the two countries," ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Soeyono told Antara.
"The basic agreement is already there to be used as guidelines for Indonesia and Australia in maintaining ties," he said, referring to the bilateral security agreement the two countries signed in December.
"Remember, we are now on the best possible terms in our defense relations with Australia," he added.
Indonesia began sending its officers to Australia for training instead of to the United States, since Washington in 1992 cut off military training aid to Indonesia to protest Jakarta's handling of East Timor.
Indonesian troopers have conducted various joint exercises with their Australian counterparts. In 1995, Indonesia took part in Australia's major Kangaroo military exercise.
Also yesterday, Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat told members of the House of Representatives that the Agreement on Maintaining Security between the two countries "will, in no way, lead to a defense pact".
"The agreement simply provides a formal framework for what we have been doing all this time," Edi said. (emb)