TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW, JAKARTA, INDONESIA
12 August 2001
JOURNALIST:
Your first impressions Mr Howard?
PRIME MINISTER:
I’m very impressed by the readiness of the President to look ahead. I think it’s very positive for relations between our two countries that in my discussion with President Megawati we both I think struck a tone of realism. We both want a good relationship, we recognise there have been some differences in the past, but importantly there’s a great deal of residual goodwill, there’s a lot of common interest, there’s a recognition of the closeness of our two countries geographically and therefore strategically, and I certainly am encouraged from my first meeting with her that Indonesia’s new president wants a good relationship with Australia.
JOURNALIST:
Were those differences discussed Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, not in any detail. We simply acknowledged that they were there. But you don’t get anywhere in relations between two countries in dwelling on differences. What you should do is focus on the things that you have in common. We’ll be having further talks tonight over dinner and then again tomorrow in a more formal environment. But certainly it’s very important symbolically as well as the value it brings in the two of us being able to talk to each other that we have this meeting so early into her presidency.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, do you believe that this visit of yours could lead to any prospects for a resumption of military cooperation between the two countries?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think you just take things slowly in that area. I think you should allow things to evolve.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, there’ve been concerns about renewed human rights abuses in Aceh and there are ongoing concerns about Irian Jaya. Are these the sorts issues you think it’s appropriate to raise on this visit?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I’m not going to say in advance what may or may not be discussed.
JOURNALIST:
What indications were there that the relationship is improving?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the fact that we’re meeting and the fact that I am the first foreign head of government to see the new president. That has to mean something in itself.
JOURNALIST:
Are you confident you can strike up a good rapport with Megawati?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes I am. She is a person who I believe has a sense of goodwill towards Australia. I’ve been able to enjoy a good relationship with her predecessors. I certainly enjoyed a good relationship with former President Wahid and I take the opportunity of recording my thanks to him for his gesture in coming to Australia and the attempts he made in that connection to rebuild the relationship at a political level. We have to keep in mind that this relationship was put under strain at a political level because of East Timor. At a person to person level and at a people level and an economic level the relationship largely continued on unaffected. And in fact in the last year there’s been a very significant rebound in the trade relationship between the two countries.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard there’s an election coming up in East Timor. Will you be seeking some sort of assurances on border security from Megawati?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well once again I’m not going to prescribe what is going to be discussed. I mean we’re having meetings tonight and tomorrow and I think the courteous thing to do at meetings like this is not to telegraph in advance what you’re going to raise. You just wait and see how the discussions evolve. I’m very pleased that the elections are coming up in East Timor. I think it’s a wonderful thing that a small new country has been given the opportunity of electing its own government.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, what is your reading of the new Indonesian Cabinet? Do you believe it’s the right mix to get the economy back on its path?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don’t normally give running commentaries on the quality of other cabinets. I think that verges on the impertinent. But certainly there are a lot of people in it of great ability and there’s a very strong focus on economic issues and the importance of Indonesia being an attractive place for foreign investment.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, Indonesia’s still going through a difficult transition politically and economically. Do you think there is a role for Australia to play in a constructive sense to assist Indonesia through this transition?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we’ve done so and we’ll continue to do so. We have been a good friend of Indonesia’s. We were one of three countries that helped in 1997. In fact the last time I was in this very hotel was when I saw President Soeharto and offered Australian participation in the IMF bailout. We’ve always been a good friend. That doesn’t mean to say we haven’t had differences. So we’ll bring the same constructive approach to the relationship in the future.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, how would you describe the relationship as it stands today?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well my view is that we have to have a realistic relationship but it has to be a relationship of what I call positive realism and you should never expect too much of a relationship. If you invest a relationship with too many expectations you are often disappointed. But there are a lot of things that we have in common. We have geography in common, we have a degree of history in common, we admire the attempts being undertaken by Indonesia to emerge as a democracy and we respect and understand and are sensitive to how difficult that process is and we want to help along the way. That’s what a good regional mate should do.
END
