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.