RI endorses Australia's UN Security Council bid

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia yesterday expressed its full support for Australia's efforts to acquire a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said he had expressed Jakarta's endorsement for Australia's nomination for one of the two seats available next year. He made the statement after a second meeting with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

"To the Australian foreign minister, I reiterated Indonesia's support for Australia's nomination," Alatas said.

The Security Council comprises five permanent and 10 non- permanent seats which are alternated in two-year tenures. Two non-permanent seats will be up for grabs for the 1997-1999 period and contested between Australia, Sweden and Portugal.

Indonesia, in its final year of holding a non-permanent seat, is expected to support the Australian and Swedish bids due to the less-than-cordial relations between Jakarta and Lisbon over the East Timor issue.

Yesterday's meeting between Alatas and Downer was a continuation of Monday's meeting. The two yesterday concentrated on regional and international topics of mutual concern.

The visit here is Downer's first trip abroad since being sworn in as foreign minister last month. He is scheduled to continue his trip to Singapore tomorrow and go on to Bangkok on Saturday.

In Singapore Downer is scheduled to visit the Selereng barracks and Changi prison where his father once served and was held captive by the invading Japanese forces in World War Two.

Yesterday Alatas said he had also conveyed Indonesia's support for Australia's participation in the second Asia European Meeting in London in 1998.

He added, however, that such a decision would have to be approved by all the 25 participating states at the first summit in Bangkok last month.

Earlier in the day, Downer, accompanied by Alatas, paid a courtesy call on President Soeharto at Bina Graha. He described the meeting as "extremely useful".

Both Soeharto and Downer expressed their commitment to further enhancing bilateral relations.

Soeharto also welcomed Downer's statement that new Australian Prime Minister John Howard plans to visit Indonesia "in the not too distant future". Downer also delivered the Australian prime minister's invitation to the President.

Alatas said that during the meeting with Soeharto, Downer had reasserted a continuation of former Prime Minister Paul Keating's policies viz-a-viz Australian commitment towards Asia.

"President Soeharto also asserted a positive attitude in response to Australia's basic policy of placing a priority on Indonesia in its bilateral relations," Alatas remarked.

Today Downer is scheduled to meet Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, and Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo. (mds)