Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=01/14/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=INDONESIA / HOWARD / IRAQ (LONG)

NUMBER=2-299667

BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN

DATELINE=JAKARTA

CONTENT=

INTRO: Australian Prime Minister John Howard has completed a world tour

with a visit to Indonesia, and more talks on the issue of Iraq. As Patricia Nunan reports from Jakarta, Mr. Howard and the Indonesian president continue to hold differing views of how best to solve the crisis.

TEXT: After meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard,

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri says their two governments

agree about the need to bring a peaceful end to the world's two major

diplomatic stand-offs.

/// ACT MEGAWATI IN INDONESIAN ///

She says Indonesia and Australia agree that the problems of Iraq and

North Korea should be resolved peacefully, through the United Nations.

The Indonesian government says it is against any action by the United

States and its allies to disarm Iraq without the approval of the U-N

Security Council.

Mr. Howard is also in favor of the United Nations resolving the crisis --

but like President Bush, he wants the U-N Security Council to force Iraq

to disarm, or face military action.

Mr. Howard said Friday's report by the chief U-N weapons inspector, Hans

Blix, added nothing to new to the debate, and merely confirmed that

Baghdad was not complying with existing U-N resolutions. He is opposed

to the idea of allowing more time for weapons inspections.

/// ACT 1 HOWARD ///

My position is that it's not time for the inspectors but it's the

attitude of Iraq that matters. And unless and until Iraq changes its

attitude, time in a sense is irrelevant -- because you're not going to

get anywhere. We've had 12 years.

/// END ACT ///

Earlier this week, Mr. Howard said a strong and united stance against

Iraq was the international community's best way to defuse the potential

crisis in North Korea. Washington has accused Pyongyang of reactivating

a nuclear weapons program, and the United Nations has found it in

violation of international nuclear conventions.

Mr. Howard said the aim of his visit was to discus a range of issues

with Ms. Megawati, and not merely to garner support for a possible war.

He did take the opportunity to stress that Australia's position on Iraq

should not be perceived as anti-Islamic.

/// ACT 2 HOWARD ///

Those who argue that Australia's attitude, the United States' or indeed

anybody else's attitude who wants to disarm Iraq is based on hostility

to Islam are completely wrong. And that is a false view put around not

to improve relations between the great religions of the world but rather

to damage relations between the great religions of the world.

/// END ACT ///

/// OPT ///

Mr. Howard's one-day visit came at the end of a round-the-world trip

that included visits to the United States and Britain. He met with U-S

President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U-N Secretary General

Kofi Annan and Mr. Blix, the U-N weapons inspector.

/// END OPT ///

Australia has committed two-thousand troops to the Persian Gulf, the

only nation other than Britain to participate in the American military

build-up in the region. (Signed)

NEB/HK/PN/BK/KBK