Media Release

FA153 - 6 December 2003

Visit to Indonesia

I will visit Indonesia from 7 to 8 December to attend the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) general conference. I will also hold a range of bilateral meetings with senior Indonesian figures.

My visit to Indonesia will focus on Australia's successful cooperation with Indonesia to combat terrorism in our region. In a successful joint investigation, the Indonesian National Police and the Australian Federal Police have captured and brought to justice most of those responsible for the Bali bombings.

Indonesia and Australia will foster further co-operation in the region through the regional ministerial conference on counter-terrorism that I will co-host with Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda in February 2004.

On this visit I will meet with the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Bambang Yudhoyono, Foreign Minister Wirajuda, Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar and other senior figures in the Indonesian Government.

At the CSCAP conference, I will detail the extent of our regional counter-terrorism cooperation. I will also emphasise that the Australian Government does not associate the overwhelming majority of Muslims with the extremists who present our current challenge. I agree with most Muslims that extremist Islamic terrorists are wrong when they claim that their religion justifies acts of indiscriminate destruction.

Media enquiries: Chris Kenny (Ministers office) (02) 6277 7500 - Lyndall Sachs (Departmental) (02) 6261 1555