The Wire

Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest neighbours, but the arrival of its President is a rare occurrence. In fact newly elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is just the third Indonesian President in thirty years to visit Australia. Tensions between the countries soured when Ausralia led the intervention in East Timor in 1999. But Indonesian cooperation after the Bali bombings and the Australian government’s aid package following to the Boxing Day tsunami, have helped to improve the relationship. Dr Yudhoyono says relations between the two countries are entering a new era. To mark this, the two governments are set to negotiate a security agreement later this year. But there have been protests over Indonesia’s military presence in Aceh and West Papua, provinces that are both seeking independence. The Indonesian Military has also been censured for alleged corruption with claims it has siphoned international foreign aid. The leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Lyn Allison, says the Australian Government must tackle the issues of Indonesia’s human rights abuses. She spoke earlier Alma Mistry.