---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, September 18, 1999 Ties: Howard's Policy Wounds RI-Australia Relationship Jakarta, Sept 18 (ANTARA)-The policy issued by the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, to intervene in the East Timor case is a big mistake, and has created a "serious wound" in the Indonesian-Australian relationship. Ganewati Wuriandari, an international affairs analyst from the University of Indonesia, told ANTARA here Saturday that Howard's policy will be a historical note in the history of both countries diplomatic relationship. Even if the relationship will be restored in the future," she said. She also predicted that Australia's persistency in "freeing" East Timor will affect its relationship with other Asian countries, especially those from the Southeast Asian Region. >From ASEAN, Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has expressed his disagreement towards the UN Security Council's decision to appoint Australia as the commander of the multinational force sent to the former Portuguese colony. According to Dr. Mahathir, "It should have been ASEAN who lead the multinational force, not Australia." Meanwhile, the Singaporean Embassy here in their press release to ANTARA, Friday evening, said that they would also send their soldiers to join the multinational force, as requested by the Indonesian government. >From Australia, former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Richard Woolcott noted that ASEAN's decision to join the multinational force is more because of their solidarity to help Indonesia. "It is not because of Australia," said Woolcott in his column in "The Australian", Friday. Regarding ASEAN, according to Wuriandari's observation, solidarity amongst its member has grown significantly stonger than before. The UN's accusation that ASEAN has failed in maintaining the peace in East Timor has brought serious attention to such a regional organization, with 10 countries and more than 500 million citizens. Regarding the future of Indonesian-Australian relations, Wuriandari further said that emotionally, Indonesia has been deeply hurt because of Howard's policy. It would not be too easy to restore the already ruined relationship. Besides, it will also depend on what Australia will be doing in East Timor later on. When asked, "will Australia be forgiven and the relationship be restored should Australia not be too much involved in East Timor's affair and leave East Timor"?, Wuriandari said that she will be surprised if Australia would do both things. "Knowing that Australia so persistent in their involvement in the affair, I suspect there is something behind Australia's closed door." (F.PTE-01/SU04/INT-TA/ri3/14:59/tb06) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Sep 1999 jam 11:59:05 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
