[Kabar-indonesia] Update: Yudhoyono to meet Howard on Monday, Dino assures

[Joyo at aol.com]

Jakarta Post [website] 
June 24, 2006

Yudhoyono to meet Howard on Monday, Dino assures

JAKARTA (JP): Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal assured Saturday that 
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will met Australian Prime Minister John 
Howard on Batam island in Riau province.

On Friday, Dino said that he could not confirm whether the meeting would have 
taken place or not. "Until now, I still can't confirm whether the meeting 
will take place or not. But we can say both leaders are likely to meet on 
schedule," Dino toldThe Jakarta Post.But quoted by on Saturday, Dino stressed that 
mending relations between the two neighboring countries marred by the grants of 
protection visas to 42 Papuans by the Australiangovernment would be top agenda 
of two leaders' meeting.

Australia's Immigration Department granted visas to the Papuan asylum seekers 
in March, a move interpreted by Jakarta as an endorsement of Papua's 
separatist movement. Indonesia recalled its ambassador and demanded Australia revoke 
the visas, a request Howard denied.

Indonesia feels Australia's decision to grant asylum to the Papuan refugees 
undermines its sovereignty over Papua.asylum seekers in March, a move 
interpreted by Jakarta as an endorsement of Papua's separatist movement. Indonesia 
recalled its ambassador and demanded Australia revoke the visas, a requestHoward 
denied.

Indonesia feels Australia's decision to grant asylum to the Papuan refugees 
undermines its sovereignty over Papua.

AP reported on Friday that Howard would also plan to discuss the release of 
militant Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, a sensitive topic in Australia.

Ba'asyir was released from prison after serving a 26-month sentence for 
involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 
Australians. Many Australians were outraged at his release, and Canberra has said he 
should havereceived a longer sentence.

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------