Soeharto welcomes Howard visit

Soeharto welcomes Howard visit

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto said yesterday he would
warmly welcome Australia's new Prime Minister John Howard, who
plans to visit Indonesia in two months.

He said Howard's visit would strengthen ties between the two
neighbors.

Soeharto stated his stand receiving a courtesy call from the
Chief Minister of the Northern Territories, Shane Stone, who was
accompanied by former Indonesian Minister of Finance Frans Seda.

"The President is willing to meet the new Australian Prime
Minister any time. He said that repeatedly," Seda said after the
meeting.

Many attribute the close ties between the two countries in
recent years to the warm relations between Soeharto and Howard's
predecessor, Paul Keating.

When Keating's Labor party was defeated earlier this month,
fears surfaced that the relationship could not be sustained under
Howard, especially since during the election campaign his party
indicated that it would take a firmer stance toward Indonesia.

Soeharto's meeting with the Australian Chief Minister
dispelled those fears.

"Just tell me when he would like to come here and I'll send an
invitation," said Seda, quoting the president.

Keating visited Indonesia four times during his four years as
Prime Minister. Soeharto has not visited Australia in the past
two decades.

Indonesia's Vice President Try Sutrisno is the highest ranking
Indonesian official to have gone "down under" in recent years.

Meanwhile Stone revealed that Prime Minister Howard had
indicated a wish to visit Indonesia, possibly within the next two
or three months.

Stone also said he was the bearer of a special message of
friendship and assurances of Canberra's continued commitment to
bilateral relations. (mds)