Goff ponders Pacific forum idea

NUKU'ALOFA - New Zealand is open-minded about a proposal for a new West Pacific Forum which would also include Australia and Indonesia, says Foreign Minister Phil Goff.

Indonesia and Australia have said that they will push ahead with a plan for the new forum, aimed at improving relations in the troubled region. Other countries in the forum could include East Timor, Papua New Guinea and possibly the Philippines.

Mr Goff said during a visit to Tonga that there would be clear differences of opinion in such a wide grouping but he would discuss the proposal with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer this week. Mr Downer will be in New Zealand for a regular six-monthly meeting with Mr Goff.

"Our position is to keep an open mind, to look at what such a grouping could achieve."

Mr Goff said he would try to gauge Indonesia's interest in such a grouping.

He believed that Papua New Guinea would be interested in joining, given its unique position between Australia and Indonesia. East Timor could also be interested, since it worked with both countries, he said.

If the forum could help to promote regional understanding and peaceful cooperation then there would be some advantage in pursuing the idea.

Indonesia and Australia said on Friday that they would push ahead with the plan as they work to heal their bilateral relationship, which was badly bruised by Australia's military involvement in East Timor.

"This is an idea in its very early stages," Mr Downer said after a two-day ministerial meeting with Indonesian ministers aimed at repairing battered relations.

Indonesian legislators and many opinion leaders are angry at Australia for leading the UN-mandated force into East Timor last year after pro-Jakarta militias went on a rampage when the Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia.

Critics charge Australia with interfering in Indonesian affairs.

- NZPA

Herald Online feature: Timor mission

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor