Australia, Indonesia forge stronger ties

Howard said he was impressed by Megawati

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has completed a fence-mending trip to Indonesia with a commitment to closer ties.

Mr Howard and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri issued a communique on Monday pledging a stronger relationship as Indonesia wrestles with a fledgling democracy and a battered economy.

There was a great deal of residual goodwill and a recognition of the closeness of our two countries, geographically and strategically

Australian Prime Minister John Howard

Earlier the Australian leader praised the new Indonesian president, saying he was impressed by the leader's readiness to put the past behind her.

Ties were damaged when Australia led a peace mission to the former Indonesian province of East Timor in 1999 where pro-Jakarta militias went on the rampage.

Thorny issues

The two leaders' talks included East Timor and the restive provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya, where the Indonesian army is accused of human rights abuses.

The communique said the leaders stressed the importance of solving the problems of Aceh and Irian Jaya "through advancing the primacy of dialogue, greater respect for human rights and the implementation of special autonomy".

Mr Howard was the first foreign leader to meet Megawati since her appointment as president almost three weeks ago.

After holding talks with her at the presidential palace on Sunday, Mr Howard said Australia would try to be a good regional "mate" to the archipelago.

Moving on

"We recognised that there were some differences in the past but, more importantly, there was a great deal of residual goodwill and a recognition of the closeness of our two countries, geographically and strategically," he added.

Australia's role in East Timor angered Indonesia

Mr Howard also met the vice-president and top government ministers.

BBC Jakarta correspondent Richard Galpin says Canberra is keen to see stability return in Jakarta after the turmoil of recent years.

Megawati had been critical of Australia's involvement in East Timor, but she has recently extended the powers of a human rights tribunal which was set up to prosecute cases of abuses in the province.

On the eve of the Australian leader's visit, the US announced that it had ordered some of its aid workers out of Indonesia after reports that US interests in the country were under threat from extremists.