Soeharto informs Hayden of East Timor progress
Soeharto informs Hayden of East Timor progress
JAKARTA (JP): Australian Governor-General Bill Hayden in a
meeting with President Soeharto here yesterday brought up the
contentious issue of East Timor, an area that has been a
persistent irritation point in past Jakarta-Canberra relations.
"However, his questions on East Timor were not the ones
usually asked by foreigners," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono
told journalists following yesterday's meeting at Merdeka Palace.
"He asked about the current policies and implementation of
development in East Timor," Moerdiono explained.
Hayden, accompanied by his wife Dallas, arrived here on
Wednesday for a five-day state visit.
His arrival here marks a new high point in relations between
the two countries as the first-ever state visit by an Australian
Governor-General to Indonesia.
On Thursday afternoon Hayden inducted Indonesian Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas as an Honorary Officer in the Order of
Australia for his contributions to strengthening ties between the
two neighbors.
Though Australia recognizes Indonesia's sovereignty over East
Timor, Canberra's persistence in scrutinizing human rights
violations has often strained bilateral ties.
Hayden's curiosity yesterday, however, was apparently limited
to the development progress of Indonesia's youngest province.
According to Moerdiono, Soeharto pointed out to the Governor-
General the many developments accomplished since East Timor's
integration into Indonesia in 1976.
"Many more (developments) than during the Portuguese colonial
period in the past," he said.
Moerdiono conveyed the President's realization of today's
tremendous pace of development and his understanding of the
difficulties of providing job opportunities for young East
Timorese.
"For the people of East Timor the job market really isn't just
in East Timor, it encompasses other parts of Indonesia as well,"
Soeharto said as quoted by Moerdiono.
Apart from East Timor, Soeharto also explained about the
developments taking place throughout the country and some of his
achievements.
After meeting with the President, Hayden then left for lunch
at Cipanas Palace about 100 kilometers south of Jakarta, which
was then proceeded by a tour of the Bogor Botanical Garden.
Later this afternoon Hayden and his wife will depart for Ujung
Pandang, South Sulawesi.
Tomorrow the Governor General will fly north of Ujung Pandang
to visit the traditional Toraja village of Ke'te' Kesu' and the
cliff-side gravesites of Lemo.
He will then continue on to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, to
tour the Sambodja orangutan reserve.(mds)