Keating starts RI visit amid press ban fury
JAKARTA (JP): Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating arrived here yesterday for a three-day trip to lend support to an on- going huge Australian trade and cultural promotion program.
In his third trip to Indonesia in two years, Keating is scheduled to meet with President Soeharto and other senior officials today before he opens the Australian expo tomorrow.
Keating has kept everyone guessing whether or not he will raise last week's closure of three weeklies, Tempo, Editor and DeTIK when he meets with President Soeharto.
Keating has said he would not make a big issue of the media crackdown but his foreign minister Gareth Evans had earlier said the prime minister might raise Australia's concern over the issue.
Keating has repeatedly stressed the importance of bilateral links, saying Australia's economic, political, security and regional interests are all heavily engaged there.
Reuter reported yesterday that, hours before leaving for Jakarta, Keating played down calls for Australia to protest the media bans, saying that the move was all part of a longer-term process of opening up Indonesian society.
"We will witness in many countries similar to Indonesia ... four steps forward and one back," he told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.
Keating means to use his visit to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) scheduled for November in Bogor, West Java.
He described Indonesia as "a vast powerhouse of growth, of wealth and of demand," in which more than 200 Australian companies were represented.
Two-way bilateral trade is worth more than US$2.2 billion a year, while exports to Indonesia had tripled over the past six years.
Indonesia's ambassador to Australia, Sabam P. Siagian, said after meeting with President Soeharto yesterday that the bilateral relations had improved over the past few years.
He said Keating's frequent visits and the Australian press' better understanding of Indonesia had made Australians more sensitive and friendly towards Indonesia.
Several Australian publications, the Australian Associated Press, Australia TV, The Australian daily and the Australian Financial Review have their bureaus in Jakarta.
Benefit
Sabam said Indonesia greatly benefits from its good relations with Australia.
After completing its first 25 year development phase, now Indonesia needs more sophisticated input such as technology, data bases and management skills, he said.
He added that during his third Indonesian visit, Keating would focus his talks with Indonesian officials on problems facing the 18 APEC member countries.
Australian exports to Indonesia have grown an average of 26 percent a year over the past five years and Indonesia looks as if it will continue to provide a good market for Australian businesses and trade over the next decade.
The Australia Today Indonesia '94, the largest trade and cultural promotion ever undertaken by Australia in Indonesia, is a joint venture between the two governments and the private sector.
Keating will inaugurate the Expanding Horizons Business Mission and Forum tomorrow. This organization will bring in over 350 Australian business executives lead by Senator McMullan, the Australian trade minister, for a meeting with their Indonesian counterparts. (pan)
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