|
|
Cook: won't "lecture" Indonesia on human rights
|
Cook Will Meet Indonesia's Human Rights Campaigners
The Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has arrived in Indonesia beginning the most difficult leg of his tour of south-east Asia. Relations between the Britain and Indonesia have been troubled recently by differences over arms sales and human rights.
In a politically symbolic move, Mr Cook's first action after arriving in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, was to telephone Bishop Carlos Belo - the leading independence
campaigner in the annexed former Portuguese colony of East Timor.
Indonesia has been accused of serious human rights abuses against the people
of East Timor and there are renewed reports of Indonesian military action.
Mr Cook told the Nobel Peace Prize winning bishop: "I want to take the
opportunity of making the point of speaking to you."
And he asked for an up-date on the current situation before his difficult
meeting with Indonesia leader President Suharto on Friday.
New Foreign Policy
The Labour Government has introduced new guidelines for arms exports aimed at
stopping the sale of British military equipment to regimes with a record of
continuing human rights abuses.
Mr Cook faces the complex task of seeking to make progress on human rights in
Indonesia, while safeguarding thousands of British jobs in the defence industry,
which exported £438 million of equipment here last year.
But just hours before his arrival, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Ali
Alatas, issued a clear threat to buy weapons elsewhere if Britain refused sales
on human rights grounds.
Indonesia May Look Elsewhere
"We would have to look at other sources and those, I can tell you, are very
much available," he said. "It is, after all, a very competitive trade. The minute you cannot get itfrom one source, the other source is already knocking on our door and saying
`take ours'."
He said the Indonesian government would have to see how Britain implemented
its arms sales policy. Indonesia has become the focus of concerns about the UK's arms sales policy following the Government's decision to place human rights at the heart of
foreign policy.
The controversial decision last month to allow the sale of 16 Hawk trainer
jets, 50 Alvis armoured vehicles and Tactica water cannons provoked anger among
Labour left-wingers.
The Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres, telephoned Tony Blair to
underline his government's "displeasure" at the deal. The Government made clear that the decision was based on legal advice, which said it would not be realistic or practical to revoke the export licences originally granted by the Conservative government.
He will also make clear in his talks that Britain still wants a defence
relationship with Indonesia.
Cook to Meet Civil Rights Leaders
However, Mr Cook plans to press the issue of personal freedoms by meeting with representatives from local leading organisations in the
field of human rights.
They include the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, the primary organisation set
up by Indonesia lawyers to promote and protect human rights and defend
activists, workers, students, journalists and dissidents persecuted by the
government.
The others include the political reform organisation PIJAR, which is best
known for its underground newspaper, and the independent, unrecognised SBSI
trade union.
Mr Cook had been hoping to meet SBSI's chairman Muchtar Pakpahan, the
prominent human rights campaigner who is currently on trial for subversion, but
plans had to be dropped at the last minute.
However, Mr Cook is anxious that his visit is not seen as a means to
"lecture" Indonesia on human rights. He will offer a "positive partnership" in the hope that progress can be made on human rights rather than both governments merely taking up positions.
Related Stories
August 28,Cook's Stand on Human Rights Fails to Impress Malaysia
July 25, Britain to Sell Hawks to Indonesia
BBC Briefing - Humans Rights or Trade?
|
