Vice President Try Sutrisno in Canberra to boost ties

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno and three cabinet ministers arrived in Sydney yesterday, marking the highest ranking visit by an Indonesian official to Australia in nearly two decades.

The vice president and his entourage touched down at Kingsford-Smith airport late yesterday afternoon to kick-off a three day working visit accompanied by Minister of Defense Edi Sudradjat, Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo and Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, Antara reported from Sydney.

Upon his arrival, Try spent the day in Sydney before traveling to the capital city of Canberra today to begin talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Gareth Evans and Governor General Bill Hayden.

Try is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Paul Keating on Friday.

This is Try's second visit to Australia, the first being in 1989 when he was Commander of the Armed Forces.

Despite Premier Keating's three visits to Jakarta in recent years, the highest ranking Indonesian official to visit Australia was President Soeharto in 1975.

Arriving amid tight security, Try's arrival was not met with the protests previously anticipated. The Australian government just days before said there would be "appropriate security" to counter the expected wave of protests.

In Canberra, however, over 100 demonstrators gathered in front of the Indonesian embassy to express their discontent at the visit.

As reported by AFP, the demonstrators burned an Indonesian flag in front of the embassy before marching in front of the parliament house to denounce the Australian governments role in Try's arrival.

Though relations between Australia and Indonesia continue to blossom, the East Timor issue remains a thorn in bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.

Despite Australia's acknowledgement of East Timor's integration into the Republic, as recently as last month Gareth Evans was still calling for greater autonomy and a relaxing of the military reign in Indonesia's youngest province.

Try's involvement with the East Timor issue is rather audacious since he was Commander of the Armed Forces during the 1991 Dili incident in which security forces clashed with demonstrators causing the death of over 50 people.(mds)