---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 Free Email @KotakPos.com visit: http://my.kotakpos.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------- The Jakarta Post, June 27, 2000 Australia assures RI on new defense paper June 27, 2000 - 12:47 JAKARTA (JP): Australia sought on Tuesday to preempt Indonesian concerns and suspicions as Canberra launched a new official document reviewing its future defense strategy. Coming less than a year after the two giant neighbors exchanged bitter words over East Timor, copies of the discussion paper, including the Indonesian translation, were released by the Australian embassy to the Indonesian media. The Defense Review 2000, Our Future Defense Force was launched by Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Canberra on Tuesday. The public discussion paper was prepared by the Australian Department of Defense. "This is not, I repeat, not, a response to the East Timor issue," Australian Ambassador John McCarthy told Indonesian journalists over a breakfast meeting at his residence. The defense "green paper" had been planned since 1998, well before the East Timor row erupted, he said. The document underlines the importance of Indonesia's stability to Australia's national defense, he said. "We support the national integrity of Indonesia," he said. The paper notes the changes taking place in Australia's giant northern neighbor, and stresses that these are Indonesia's domestic affairs. "But Indonesia still faces significant economic, political and social challenges, including separatist and sectarian issues in some parts of the archipelago. "These are internal matters for Indonesia, though Australia has a commitment to work with Indonesia to support its economic recovery and help foster conditions for stability in the region," the paper states. (emb) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 28 Jun 2000 jam 07:27:22 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
