RI enthusiastic about security deal: Minister

RI enthusiastic about security deal: Minister

CANBERRA (AFP): Indonesia remains enthusiastic about a
security treaty with Australia although it had yet to ratify the
document, Defense Minister Ian McLachlan said yesterday.

McLachlan was questioned in a television interview about why
Indonesia had yet to ratify the treaty, which was worked out in
secret by the former Labor government and unveiled in December.

"I don't know the answer to that, but I can tell you that in
my conversation with President Soeharto he expressed enthusiasm
for it," he said.

It was possible that the Indonesians were deciding whether it
should be ratified through the parliamentary system or signed by
the president, he said.

"But I'm not worried about the fact that they've cooled off on
it in any way at all because we've had expressions both via
(Indonesian Foreign Minister) Mr. (Ali) Alatas and via the
president in the opposite direction," McLachlan said.

The accord commits the two countries to consultations when
either or both is adversely challenged and to consider joint
responses.

It also promotes security co-operation and ministerial
consultations over common security interests.
Australia has ratified the treaty.

The conservative coalition which won power in March has said
that it would honor the security treaty despite objections to the
way it had been introduced.