•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday took a swipe at Australia’s travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting Indonesia, before changing track and urging business leaders to forge closer trade links between the two nations.

Yudhoyono made the comments a day after he reminded Australians that Indonesia was “more than a beach playground with coconut trees” in a landmark address to the country’s Parliament.

“In regard to our tourism relations, we only know that Indonesia is now one of the top 10 tourist destinations for Australia in spite of your government’s advice against traveling to Indonesia,” he told a business forum on Thursday.

Australia’s current travel advisory warns against traveling to Indonesia, citing a “very high threat of terrorist attack.”

Three Australians died in July’s bombings of two luxury Jakarta hotels, while 88 more were killed in the 2002 Bali blasts. In 2004, nine Indonesians died in a car-bomb attack on the Australian Embassy.

Indonesia, however, has enjoyed success against Islamic militants, including Tuesday’s killing of Bali bomber Dulmatin, one of the country’s most wanted fugitives.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday said the warning was assessed independently, while Foreign Minister Stephen Smith described it as being only “raised in passing” during official talks.

“The president and his government understand the reasons behind our travel advice,” Smith told Sky News. “But we ourselves have made the point [that] the advice is there for Australians to contemplate. Very many Australians take it into account and then exercise their judgment to travel.”

Bali remains one of the top tourist destinations for Australians despite attacks in the past.

Yudhoyono, who has been praised for steering Indonesia through the economic crisis with 4.5 percent growth last year, on Wednesday called for a “fair dinkum” partnership with Australia including more trade.

The countries, who have completed a feasibility study into a free-trade agreement, enjoy $8.5 billion of commerce a year.

“Our economy is not only in good health, it is also in a good position to help restore the health of the global financial system,” Yudhoyono told the forum in Sydney.

“We in Indonesia are open-minded about possible new ways of enlarging and intensifying our bilateral trade,” he added, citing food production, energy and infrastructure.

During Yudhoyono’s meeting with Rudd, cooperation agreements were signed and a joint statement was made on arrangements for consular assistance.

The governments also signed accords on the handling of human trafficking, the extradition of criminals, trade, the development of Indonesia’s eastern provinces, education, forestry and the environment.

Yudhoyono left Sydney for Papua New Guinea on Thursday. The president, who began his journey abroad on Tuesday, is scheduled to return to Jakarta today at noon.



AFP & Antara