Fed: Crean meets with Indonesian Foreign Minister

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2001
Fed: Crean meets with Indonesian Foreign Minister

SYDNEY, Dec 2 AAP - Opposition Leader Simon Crean said asylum seekers dominated his
talks today with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda.

Mr Crean said he and Labor's Foreign Affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, held a constructive
meeting with Dr Wirayuda in Sydney this morning.

"Kevin Rudd... and myself indicated to him that we were wanting to develop long-term
relationships with Indonesia," he said.

During the talks, Mr Crean also pledged "to be supportive of the government in a bipartisan
way in developing a lasting solution, in particular, to the asylum seekers".

Dr Wirayuda was in Canberra late last week for official talks, including a meeting
with Prime Minister John Howard.

Australia and Indonesia are set to resume military ties, frozen in the diplomatic fallout
from East Timor, following the two-day visit.

But the half-hour meeting between Mr Howard and Dr Wirayuda did not result in an announcement
on whether the Prime Minister would meet with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri
in Jakarta next year.

Dr Wirayuda, the first senior Indonesian MP to visit Australia since President Megawati's
appointment, said the neighbours could soon resume what he called "soft" military contacts.

AAP as/jmd/de

KEYWORD: INDON AUST CREAN

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