Media release
11 December 2008
Death of Ali Alatas
I was saddened to hear of the death earlier today (11 December) of former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas. Our thoughts are with his wife Junisa and three children.
Ali Alatas was a significant historical figure who made a major contribution to the modern Australia-Indonesia relationship.
As a career diplomat and Foreign Minister for 11 years under Presidents Soeharto and Habibie, Ali Alatas was an influential figure in international diplomacy. He did much to help shape the regional institutions that today play such an important part in underpinning stability and economic prosperity in South-East Asia and the broader Asia Pacific region, including in particular APEC. He also played an important role in the peace process in Cambodia.
Ali Alatas, a regular visitor to Australia, was an important partner for successive Australian Governments in working to strengthen Australia-Indonesia relations. He numbered many Australians among his personal friends.
Fittingly, in 1995 Ali Alatas was named Officer of the Order of Australia for service to strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries.
I was delighted to have had the opportunity to meet Alatas on my first visit to Indonesia as Foreign Minister in Bali last December, and again in Jakarta in August and in Sydney in October at the inaugural meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, on which he had agreed to serve as one of the 15 commissioners.
Ali Alatas celebrated his 76th birthday last month.
Media inquiries
- Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555