Britain reaffirms recognition of Papua as part of Indonesia

Britain still recognizes Papua as an integral part Indonesia, a British diplomat said.

“We are here this time on a working visit to the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command,” Millie Mc Devitt, Second Secretary in Political Section of the British Embassy, said in a news release issued here on Wednesday (17/07).

McDevitt and a group of other officials of the British embassy in Jakarta met with the regional military commander Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua and other regional military officials in this provincial city.

Zebua told the group that security situation in Papua is favorable, saying in general the situation is stable.

“There is a small group (of local people) having different perception of independence, but we do not see them as enemies. They are compatriots who happen to have different view of democracy,” he said.

He acknowledged that stability in the region is attributable not only to the military or police but also to big role played by religious and community leaders and other government officials.

The military in carrying out it duty in the field gives priority to territorial development, he said.

“Currently we are cooperating with all components to create a conducive security,” he added.

The regional military command is involved in various social activities such as in health care, teaching, farming,livestock raising and fishery to improve the welfare of the people, he said.

“Papua is currently is developing civil order with the military assisting the regional administration and police to accelerate regional development and to maintain public order,” he said.

Indonesia had been angered by a British official attending a ceremony opening a Papua separatist representative office in that country recently.

Source: ANTARA News

PM Rudd Reiterates Recognition of Indonesia’s Sovereignty Over Papua

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reiterated his government’s recognition of Indonesia’s sovereignty over Papua on Friday (05/07).

“I would like to publicly reaffirm here, what successive Australian prime ministers have said in the past, that Australia recognizes, recognized in the past and will recognize in the future, the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia that includes Papua,” Rudd said.

Australian PM Kevin Rudd and Indonesian Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Bogor Palace, Rudd also praised President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s “strong leadership” and the special autonomy package accorded for Papua’s development.

“I encourage him in this direction. I am sure, as Australian Prime Minister, I will do everything I can in supporting him in this important direction as well,” he said.

Rudd, who was on visit for the third annual Indonesia-Australia Leaders’ Meeting, said that Yudhoyono’s government had already achieved success in Aceh, where the government also granted an autonomy package after it agreed with separatists rebels there to end decades of conflict in August 2005.

He said that Australia wanted to work with the government here in a way that could be helpful “in making sure that we bring about a long-term, stable, prosperous and secure Papua that is part of the Republic of Indonesia.”

A joint communique issued after the meeting of the two leaders, said that they “reaffirmed the two countries’ continued adherence to the principles of respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as mandated in the Lombok Treaty.”

“I am certain that under the leadership of Prime Minister Rudd, the cooperation, partnership and friendship between the Republic of Indonesia and Australia can continue to be stepped up,” Yudhoyono said on the same occasion.

Yudhoyono said that he and Rudd shared the same commitment in seeking new opportunities to boost cooperation.The leaders, it said, were encouraged by the many “positive developments” in their bilateral relationship since the previous meeting in Darwin last year.

In the joint communique Yudhoyono and Rudd also encouraged the further promotion of bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Indonesia and Australia.

“Noting that the two countries have shared interest in the area of food security, both leaders agreed to further explore trade and investment cooperation in the agriculture sector, including in the beef and cattle industry,” it said.

Tensions had risen several times between Indonesia and Australia over the alleged maltreatment of cows here, leading to a cut in beef imports from Australia.

The Leaders also recognised the importance of the two countries’ wide-ranging cooperation in tackling regional and global challenges, particularly transnational crimes such as terrorism, cyber-crime, drugs, corruption and money-laundering.

On the issue of human trafficking and people smuggling, the two countries agreed to continue to develop a regional solution.
The regional solution, the communique said, should involve countries of origin, transit and destination and cover elements of prevention, early detection and protection.

“They stressed the importance of avoiding unilateral actions which might jeopardize such a comprehensive regional approach and that may cause operational or other difficulties to any party,” the statement said.

Source: the Jakarta Globe