New Zealand's statement on Joop expected today

New Zealand's statement on Joop expected today

WELLINGTON (AFP): New Zealand's foreign minister, Don
McKinnon, is to issue a statement today on allegations an
Indonesian cabinet minister indecently assaulted a hotel employee
in Auckland, the New Zealand Press Association reported
yesterday.

The hotel employee, a young man, reportedly told police he was
indecently assaulted by the Indonesian minister when he was
called to a room in the hotel.

McKinnon received a report on the incident when he returned
from an overseas trip at the weekend.

NZPA reported a spokesman for McKinnon as saying the minister
was likely to issue a statement today. The report is to be
discussed at a routine cabinet meeting this morning.

Indonesian Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Minister Joop
Ave on Saturday denied having molested the employee, calling the
incident a "misunderstanding" following allegations in the New
Zealand media naming him as the minister.

Ave left Auckland by private jet following the alleged
incident, failing to attend an international tourism conference
in the city.

He said that the hotel's general manager informed him that the
waiter had filed a complaint saying he had been molested and had
gone to the police as well as the press.

"I responded that there must be a misunderstanding and that it
was not true," Ave said. He also said that he later called
Jakarta to report on the "unfortunate and wholly unexpected turn
of events" and received instructions to return home as soon as
possible.