Indonesia and Vanuatu establish relations

Indonesia and Vanuatu establish relations

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia established diplomatic ties yesterday
with Vanuatu, a tiny South Pacific country which was once
critical of Jakarta, particularly in relation to Irian Jaya.

The atmosphere yesterday was cordial as Prime Minister Maxime
Carlot Korman held talks with President Soeharto and signed a
joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic ties with
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas.

In his speech after the signing ceremony, Alatas said the
establishment of diplomatic ties was expected to further enhance
relations, not only between the two countries, but also between
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which
Indonesia is a member, and the South Pacific Forum.

Alatas stressed the need for the two countries to engage in
various development cooperation programs in the spirit of South-
South cooperation. "Experience has shown that when developing
countries help each other by sharing resources and their unique
insights into common problems and concerns of development, they
do gain a better chance of succeeding in their respective
development endeavors," he said.

Vanuatu, with a predominantly Melanesian population of
175,000, is a former Anglo-French colony which gained its
independence in 1980.

While there was no mention by officials of the issue of Irian
Jaya being raised, the question of East Timor was discussed
during Prime Minister Korman's meeting with President Soeharto.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, briefing reporters about
the talks, said that Vanuatu regarded the East Timor issue as an
internal Indonesian affair.

The Vanuatu position was stated after Soeharto gave an account
of the history of the integration of East Timor into Indonesia in
1976, Moerdiono said.

The two leaders also discussed the possibilities for bilateral
trade and economic cooperation, according to the minister, who
added that the Vanuatu prime minister had also expressed interest
in Indonesia's management of its huge oil industry.

Later last night, Soeharto hosted a dinner in honor of his
guest.

In his speech, the President commended highly Vanuatu's
holding fast to its policy of rejecting the presence of nuclear
weapons in the Pacific area.

Korman arrived here on Sunday for a three-day visit.

This morning he is due to fly to Bandung, West Java, to visit
the historic Asia-Africa Museum and the aircraft manufacturing
plant of IPTN, the state-owned aircraft company. Later in the
evening, he will leave Jakarta for Sydney. (emb)