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)