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Australia says it's time for 'realism' in dealings with Jakarta

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard says he's hoping his early visit to the new Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri will put the relationship between Australia and Indonesia on a good footing.

Mr Howard will travel to Indonesia on Sunday.

He says he believes he will be the first foreign leader to visit Mrs Megawati since she became president.

The Prime Minister says Australia and Indonesia have had their differences particularly over East Timor, but it's time to look to the future.

It's very much a question of putting the relationship on a basis of what I'd call call positive realism. We have to be realistic that there are some things about our two communities that will always be different. But because we are neighbours we can be good friends, and we can work together in a positive way into the future.

10/08/01 11:11:59 | ABC Radio Australia News

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