Australia 'Secretly' Supported East Timorese Independence

Australia decided to support East Timorese independence many months before a referendum in 1999, but publicly maintained the line that it should remain part of Indonesia, a report said Saturday.

In an interview for a book about modern Australian politics, former conservative prime minister John Howard said he had believed East Timor's independence was "inevitable".

But "one had to be careful about handling that publicly," Howard told author Paul Kelly.

"You had to get the Indonesians to agree," he said, according to an extract of the book published in The Australian newspaper.

Kelly said Howard's foreign minister Alexander Downer told him in January 1999 that "there is now a very good chance East Timor will be independent by the end of this year, and we intend to go along with this."

But they kept their intentions secret from their own defence department and also from Jakarta, hoping to hold the peace, Kelly said.

"Australia's (public and military) objectives were having East Timor remain part of Indonesia, ensuring ties with Jakarta were put before the fate of East Timor, retaining Australia's military ties with Indonesia and avoiding any Australian defence force deployment if possible," said Kelly.

"While telling Indonesia that autonomy would be the best result Howard and Downer, as 1999 advanced, became willing backers of an independent East Timor," he wrote.

Kelly said Howard wrote to Indonesia's then-president B.J Habibie in late 1998 expressing his view that there were only "two realistic scenarios for the future of East Timor."

"Either full independence (and probably sooner rather than later) or some sort of free association with Indonesia achieved as the end point of a process," the letter said, according to Kelly.

This proposal of a "process" sparked what would ultimately become the UN-backed August 1999 referendum when East Timor's people voted to end a bloody 24-year occupation by Indonesia's forces, Kelly said.

Howard led diplomatic efforts ahead of the ballot, and successfully pressured the United States to join the subsequent Australian-led peacekeeping mission, Kelly wrote.

"East Timor saw Australia's acceptance in psychological, political and military terms of a stronger regional security responsibility," he said.

AFP

Minister Admits Trade Deals Played Part in Lockerbie Bomber Release

Trade deals with Libya played a "very big part" in Britain's decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal with Tripoli, a government minister acknowledged in an interview on Saturday.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the Daily Telegraph that trade and an oil exploration deal between BP and Libya were factors in deciding whether to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi eligible for transfer to a prison back home.

However, his spokesman insisted Megrahi's release was not agreed because any possible transfer was always subject to a veto by the Scottish authorities.

Asked if trade and oil were part of the discussions, Straw said: "Yes, a very big part of that. I?m unapologetic about that... Libya was a rogue state. We wanted to bring it back into the fold.

"And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal."

Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie which killed 270 people, was released last month on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill.

Scotland rejected a prison transfer for Megrahi. Yet London has been forced to deny allegations that it struck a deal with Libya to free him in return for improved trade ties.

Documents released this week show Straw initially opposed including Megrahi in the prison transfer agreement due to opposition from Scotland -- but changed his mind, citing "wider negotiations" with Tripoli.

At the time, talks on the ratification of a huge oil deal between BP and Libya had become bogged down. The 900 million dollars deal was ratified in January 2008 shortly after Straw's change of mind.

Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa said in an interview Saturday that trade had nothing to do with Megrahi's release.

"You should not do an injustice to the British government," he told British newspaper The Times from Tripoli.

"It was nothing to do with trade. If we wished to bargain we would have done it a long time ago."

BP said Friday it had lobbied Britain to speed up the agreement with Libya to improve business relations, but denied pressing for Megrahi to be released.

Minister Admits Trade Deals Played Part in Lockerbie Bomber Release

Trade deals with Libya played a "very big part" in Britain's decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal with Tripoli, a government minister acknowledged in an interview on Saturday.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the Daily Telegraph that trade and an oil exploration deal between BP and Libya were factors in deciding whether to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi eligible for transfer to a prison back home.

However, his spokesman insisted Megrahi's release was not agreed because any possible transfer was always subject to a veto by the Scottish authorities.

Asked if trade and oil were part of the discussions, Straw said: "Yes, a very big part of that. I?m unapologetic about that... Libya was a rogue state. We wanted to bring it back into the fold.

"And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal."

Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie which killed 270 people, was released last month on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill.

Scotland rejected a prison transfer for Megrahi. Yet London has been forced to deny allegations that it struck a deal with Libya to free him in return for improved trade ties.

Documents released this week show Straw initially opposed including Megrahi in the prison transfer agreement due to opposition from Scotland -- but changed his mind, citing "wider negotiations" with Tripoli.

At the time, talks on the ratification of a huge oil deal between BP and Libya had become bogged down. The 900 million dollars deal was ratified in January 2008 shortly after Straw's change of mind.

Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa said in an interview Saturday that trade had nothing to do with Megrahi's release.

"You should not do an injustice to the British government," he told British newspaper The Times from Tripoli.

"It was nothing to do with trade. If we wished to bargain we would have done it a long time ago."

BP said Friday it had lobbied Britain to speed up the agreement with Libya to improve business relations, but denied pressing for Megrahi to be released.

Minister Admits Trade Deals Played Part in Lockerbie Bomber Release

Trade deals with Libya played a "very big part" in Britain's decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal with Tripoli, a government minister acknowledged in an interview on Saturday.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the Daily Telegraph that trade and an oil exploration deal between BP and Libya were factors in deciding whether to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi eligible for transfer to a prison back home.

However, his spokesman insisted Megrahi's release was not agreed because any possible transfer was always subject to a veto by the Scottish authorities.

Asked if trade and oil were part of the discussions, Straw said: "Yes, a very big part of that. I?m unapologetic about that... Libya was a rogue state. We wanted to bring it back into the fold.

"And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal."

Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie which killed 270 people, was released last month on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill.

Scotland rejected a prison transfer for Megrahi. Yet London has been forced to deny allegations that it struck a deal with Libya to free him in return for improved trade ties.

Documents released this week show Straw initially opposed including Megrahi in the prison transfer agreement due to opposition from Scotland -- but changed his mind, citing "wider negotiations" with Tripoli.

At the time, talks on the ratification of a huge oil deal between BP and Libya had become bogged down. The 900 million dollars deal was ratified in January 2008 shortly after Straw's change of mind.

Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa said in an interview Saturday that trade had nothing to do with Megrahi's release.

"You should not do an injustice to the British government," he told British newspaper The Times from Tripoli.

"It was nothing to do with trade. If we wished to bargain we would have done it a long time ago."

BP said Friday it had lobbied Britain to speed up the agreement with Libya to improve business relations, but denied pressing for Megrahi to be released.

Minister Admits Trade Deals Played Part in Lockerbie Bomber Release

Trade deals with Libya played a "very big part" in Britain's decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal with Tripoli, a government minister acknowledged in an interview on Saturday.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the Daily Telegraph that trade and an oil exploration deal between BP and Libya were factors in deciding whether to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi eligible for transfer to a prison back home.

However, his spokesman insisted Megrahi's release was not agreed because any possible transfer was always subject to a veto by the Scottish authorities.

Asked if trade and oil were part of the discussions, Straw said: "Yes, a very big part of that. I?m unapologetic about that... Libya was a rogue state. We wanted to bring it back into the fold.

"And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal."

Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie which killed 270 people, was released last month on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill.

Scotland rejected a prison transfer for Megrahi. Yet London has been forced to deny allegations that it struck a deal with Libya to free him in return for improved trade ties.

Documents released this week show Straw initially opposed including Megrahi in the prison transfer agreement due to opposition from Scotland -- but changed his mind, citing "wider negotiations" with Tripoli.

At the time, talks on the ratification of a huge oil deal between BP and Libya had become bogged down. The 900 million dollars deal was ratified in January 2008 shortly after Straw's change of mind.

Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa said in an interview Saturday that trade had nothing to do with Megrahi's release.

"You should not do an injustice to the British government," he told British newspaper The Times from Tripoli.

"It was nothing to do with trade. If we wished to bargain we would have done it a long time ago."

BP said Friday it had lobbied Britain to speed up the agreement with Libya to improve business relations, but denied pressing for Megrahi to be released.

Indonesia Eying Sugar Imports to Curb Prices

The Trade Ministry says it is considering importing white sugar for household use to help bring soaring prices under control, despite international prices also being on a rapid upward trajectory.

At present, the average retail price of white sugar on the local market is about Rp 9,500 (95 cents) a kilogram, but this is expected to rise further with the Idul Fitri festivities in the offing.

“There are two ways to increase the sugar supply on the market: first, by channeling refined sugar to the consumer market and, second, by importing sugar,” Subagyo, the Trade Ministry’s director general of domestic trade, said on Friday in Bandung, West Java.

White sugar is of a lower grade than refined sugar and is normally for household use, while refined sugar is used by the food and beverage industry.

Subagyo said that the question of whether to import sugar or redirect refined sugar to the consumer market would need to be considered carefully. However, it would ultimately depend on whether domestic sugar producers abided by commitments they had made to the ministry to keep prices of the commodity under control.

“At present, we are trying to encourage [state sugar producers] PT Perkebunan Nusantara and PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia to act on their commitments to set a maximum auction price for sugar of Rp 6,500 per kilogram,” Subagyo said.

The price of white sugar has been on the rise since the end of June, and has increased from an average of Rp 6,649 per kilogram in January to about Rp 9,500 a kilogram at present.

The government had earlier said it expected the price to decline to Rp 7,000 during the May-November milling season.

Arum Sabil, chairman of the Indonesian Sugarcane Growers Association (Aptri), said on Sunday that the government needed to focus on the real reasons behind the rise in prices during this year’s milling season, namely, soaring prices on the international market

“The has led to some food and beverage firms to switch from imported sugar to domestic sugar as it is cheaper, which has led to higher demand on the domestic market,” Arum said.

Bad weather in the world’s two biggest producers, Brazil and India, have pushed global sugar prices to three-year highs.

Arum said that importing sugar under current conditions made no sense as the commodity was fetching $560 a ton on the international market.

“Given recent international trends, the price of imported sugar would be Rp 8,000 a kilogram at domestic ports,” Arum said. “In the end, the price in the retail market would be the same as domestically produced sugar. So what’s the benefit of importing it if the price will be the same?”

Quake Survivors Face Diseases, Cold

Health officials are battling disease that is now spreading among refugees from last week’s massive earthquake in West Java, with many complaining of diarrhea and rashes, while victims staying in higher-elevated regions also face intense cold at night.

The official number of displaced people more than tripled to 88,000 over the weekend as updated information came in from remote areas. At least 30 people remained missing as of Sunday night and were feared dead.

Rustam Pakaya, head of the Ministry of Health’s Crisis Center in Jakarta, said on Sunday that a special team was en route with 25 tons of medicines to five West five districts that have been declared disaster areas.

"All kinds of medicines, as well as medical teams for each district," he said. "Yes, some people in the shelters started to get a rash or diarrhea. The conditions in the shelters, we should admit, are far from good. But we have no other choice."

The Indonesian Red Cross announced during the weekend that it was distributing relief including 1,000 hygiene kits for survivors in the districts of Bogor, Bandung, Ciamis, Garut, Cianjur, Sukabumi, Tasikmalaya, and Bandung Barat.

Last Wednesday’s 7.3-magnitude earthquake, centered 200 kilometers south in the Indian Ocean, killed at least 73 people. The temblor damaged at least 86,000 buildings in 10 districts of West Java and one district of Central Java.

Search and rescue teams continue digging for victims among the rubble.

Rustam said that an outbreak of diarrhea had been spreading in Bogor and Tasikmalaya before the earthquake even struck, meaning that “it's not only because [survivors] are staying in the shelters."

He said that aid workers had distributed 1,000 blankets to survivors in more mountainous regions such as in Pengalengan in Bandung district, Cigalontang, and Garut who were suffering from cold, but ran out and needs more.

Priyadi Kardono, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, said the shelters also need more food supplies, and urged local governments to come up with additional funds.

Laksmita Noviera, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Jakarta, said that a joint team comprised of OCHA, nongovernmental organizations and local governments had been dispatched to assess the situation on the ground in the wake of the disaster.