Australia to renew Indonesia ties

Ousted Indonesian President Wahid with Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Canberra in June

CANBERRA, Australia -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard is to fly to Jakarta on Sunday to meet the new President Megawati Sukarnoputri amid hopes he will strengthen Australia's often-rocky relationship with Indonesia.

Relations between the neighbors deteriorated in 1999 when Australia led an international peace-enforcement mission to East Timor, where pro-Jakarta militias had launched a rampage of violence.

But Megawati appears willing to put the East Timor issue behind her by confirming her support for a special human rights court to try atrocity cases -- which could involve some military leaders.

"The important point is that we are having this meeting so early in her term and that says something in itself," Howard said.

Positive realism

Howard cancelled his attendance at the South Pacific's key annual meeting, the Pacific Islands Forum, to visit Indonesia.

He was keen to visit Megawati ahead of Australia's year-end election, which has become too close to call.

Howard told reporters that relations with Indonesia had entered a new phase "of what I might call positive realism."

"We're realistic about some of our differences, but we're positive about the things we have in common and the importance of us having a close relationship, but a relationship based on realism and mutual respect," he said.

Swift congratulations

Former president Abdurrahman Wahid, who visited Australia last month just before he was ousted from power, denounced Howard for his quick messages of congratulations to Megawati.

"I am angry," said Wahid, who is still questioning the legal basis for his removal after 21 chaotic months in office.

"If you are John Howard and you come to Jakarta . . . I will not see him. I have done very much for Indonesia and Australia's relationship, but he did so little," Wahid told Australian radio on Wednesday.

Reuters contributed to this report.