Jakarta and Canberra say no row over envoy

Jakarta and Canberra say no row over envoy

MELBOURNE (Reuter): Australia and Indonesia yesterday denied
any problems in bilateral relations over Canberra's nomination of
a new ambassador to Jakarta.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer declined to confirm the
nomination of Miles Kupa, whose allegedly critical reports of
Indonesian President Soeharto have drawn ire in Jakarta.

But foreign department sources told Reuters Kupa, a senior
diplomat and adviser to former foreign minister Gareth Evans, had
been nominated but not yet approved by Indonesia.

Downer, in Melbourne for an Australia-Indonesia business
conference, rejected speculation Jakarta could oppose the
nomination in retaliation for a row last year when Canberra
rejected Indonesia's nomination for its envoy to Australia.

"No, no, not at all," Downer told reporters.

Jakarta's Media Indonesia newspaper last Friday quoted Aisyah
Amini, head of the House of Representatives' Commission on
Foreign Affairs, as urging the rejection of Kupa's nomination if
he failed to apologize for comments critical of Soeharto.

The Australian media has widely reported Kupa as criticizing
President Soeharto in official reports and briefings after he
returned in 1988 from a posting as deputy ambassador in Jakarta.

Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Wirjono Sastroandojo said
in Melbourne the demand for an apology had come from one
opposition politician, not the government.

Aisyah is from the minority United Development Party.

He also denied the issue would cause a hiccup in Australia-
Indonesia relations.

"I wouldn't like to characterize it in that way," he said.

Indonesia last year withdrew at the last minute its nomination
of a retired general as its new envoy to Canberra.

The nomination of Lt. Gen H.B.L. Mantiri sparked public
protests in Australia over public comments he made condoning the
military handling of a bloody incident in East Timor in 1991.

Mantiri's place had since been filled by Wirjono, a career
diplomat. Mantiri is now ambassador designate for Singapore.