Susilo, Howard vow to address security issues

Susilo, Howard vow to address security issues

Endy Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Santiago

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister
John Howard agreed on Friday to address concerns about defense
and security matters to prevent possible misunderstandings in the
future.

The leaders, during a brief meeting here on the sidelines of
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, decided that
their respective defense ministers should meet soon to address
any problem that might come up between the two countries.

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Jalal told Indonesian
reporters that the leaders did not go into detail about any
misunderstanding that has developed in bilateral relations. But
Dino recalled a recent incident when Indonesia raised questions
about Australia's plans to develop its missile defense system.

This is the second time that Susilo and Howard have met in
less than a month. Howard, after winning reelection for a record
fourth term in office, went to Jakarta for the inauguration of
President Susilo in mid-October.

Dino described the meeting on Friday as very cordial and
amicable.

"From my own personal observation, they seem to have hit it
off, judging from their body language, their remarks and their
jokes."

The two are longtime acquaintances; as Indonesia's chief
security minister under President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo
led the country's campaign against terror.

The two countries, which have had their share of differences
in the past, were brought closer together when two huge
explosions killed more than 200 people, most of them Australians,
at nightclubs in Bali in October 2002.

Indonesia and Australia have since forged closer ties in
fighting the threat of terrorism in the region. At the meeting on
Friday, the two leaders underscored the need for their police,
attorney general's offices and intelligence bodies to sustain
their cooperation.

Susilo and Howard also discussed the trilateral forum
involving Indonesia, Australia and East Timor, as well as the
wider South West Pacific Forum, as ways of enhancing regional
cooperation.

The Indonesian president used the half-hour meeting to talk
about his effort to revive the Indonesian economy, underlining
his plan to organize an "Infrastructure Summit" in Jakarta in
January, an event in which he hoped Australian companies would
attend.

Howard promised that he would encourage Australian investors
to take part, according to Dino.

The Australian leader sympathized with Indonesia's efforts to
get the economy back on track.

"He (Howard) basically said that he sees Indonesia as a
partner and a friend, and that he wanted to see Indonesia
succeed," Dino said.

Susilo is planning to make Australia one of the first
destinations for his overseas official visits once his first 100
days in office is completed at the end of January.

He has defended his decision to come to Santiago, and to
attend the ASEAN summit in Vientiane next weekend, saying that
such summits presented him with rare opportunities to meet with
as many leaders as he could.

In Santiago, he met with the leaders of China, Vietnam and New
Zealand as well as the host president on Friday. On Saturday, he
has scheduled meetings with U.S. President George W. Bush, as
well as the leaders of Canada, Russia and Japan.