Wahid's stop-off symbolic

By JOHN ARMSTRONG

He'll be here for just a few hours. He'll probably be booted out of office within a few weeks. Why is Indonesia's President, Abdurrahman Wahid, bothering to come to New Zealand?

Today's fleeting visit carries most significance in its symbolism - it is a deliberate signal that relations are back on track following the ructions over East Timor.

This is particularly crucial in the case of Australia, where the President has spent the past two days putting aside bitter differences.

Indonesia's reluctance to relax its grip on East Timor caused a marked deterioration in relations between Jakarta and Canberra after Australia led an international peacekeeping force into the territory.

For New Zealand, it is critical that Australia and Indonesia - the world's fourth most populous country and increasingly one of the most unstable - get on.

With his own position shaky back home, the President has taken a big risk in visiting Australia. But Mr Wahid is seen to be wanting to wipe the slate clean with Canberra. It is also a defiant "I'm-still-in-charge" gesture to his critics.

The New Zealand leg of his trip fulfils a longstanding invitation from Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The President arrives this afternoon in Christchurch, the venue for official talks as his military aircraft is too large to land in Wellington. He flies out early tomorrow.

The 60-year-old President is nearly blind and has suffered two strokes. But the perception of frailty is said to be deceptive.

A fluent speaker of English, the wily Mr Wahid is said to be tough-as-steel, with a biting wit.

His principal failing is managerial. Since October 1999, when he became Indonesia's first properly elected President, the economy has continued to stagnate and there is ethnic violence in many provinces.

Mr Wahid's rule has been undermined by corruption scandals and he is likely to be replaced by his deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri, in early August unless he manages to broker some kind of deal.

New Zealand will press him to curb the militia operating across East Timor's border. Helen Clark will again insist on swift justice in the trial of the militia leader accused of murdering Private Leonard Manning, killed in East Timor last July.

Possibly raising the question of autonomy for West Papua, Helen Clark also wants to hear Indonesia's explanation for the detention of Auckland human rights activist Maire Leadbeater during a labour solidarity conference in Jakarta two weeks ago.

Feature: Indonesia

CIA World Factbook: Indonesia (with map)

Dept. of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia

Antara news agency

Indonesian Observer

The Jakarta Post

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor

East Timor Action Network