RI reopens its embassy in Havana

RI reopens its embassy in Havana

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is reopening its embassy in Havana
after 10 years because of Cuba's decision to support Indonesia on
the East Timor question.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas on Tuesday installed
Aroeman as charge d'affaires for the embassy in Havana, which was
closed in 1985 in the course of cost cuts, Antara reported.

During the past 10 years, the Indonesian ambassador for Mexico
has also held the post as non-resident ambassador for Cuba.

Alatas was quoted as telling reporters that the Cuban
government's stance which had earlier been anti-Indonesia on the
East Timor question changed, as shown during the 49th conference
of the United Nations' Human Rights Commission in Geneva in 1993,
when it voted in support of Indonesia.

"Cuba's latest position on the East Timor question shows it is
more supportive of Indonesia," Alatas said. "Besides, our
relations have become more intensive as fellow Non-Aligned
Movement members," Alatas said after the installation ceremony.

"Now we feel a need to reopen the embassy, especially in view
of Cuba's decision to send an ambassador to Indonesia since 1992.
On the principle of reciprocity, we should have our own
representative there," he said.

Alatas on Tuesday also swore in Bahrun Subardjo to head the
new consulate in Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Widodo Surono to
head the Indonesian consulate in Darwin, Australia.

In his speech, Alatas asked Widodo to be active in countering
negative information about the development in East Timor that are
disseminated by supporters of Fretilin, the East Timor armed
separatist movement.

Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory, is home to
thousands of East Timorese who went into exile because of their
opposition to East Timor's 1976 integration with Indonesia.

Noting that some of the East Timorese and their supporters
often disrupted the consulate work through various
demonstrations, Alatas said the new consul chief must exercise
wisdom in dealing with and neutralizing anti-Indonesian
government activities.

The consulate in Darwin must also deal with Indonesian
fishermen who are either caught by the Australian authorities for
border intrusion, or washed ashore on Australian waters, Alatas
said.

Alatas said the government has decided to open a new consulate
general in Johor Bahru because of the huge number of Indonesian
workers living in the southern Malaysian peninsula state.

He said the growth triangle cooperation linking Johore with
Singapore and the Indonesian province of Riau is another reason
behind the decision to open the consulate.

The consulate, he added, is expected to help with consular
work for Indonesian workers in the territory, he added. (emb)