The Jakarta Post, 2/18/2003 6:41:23 PM
Australia stands firm on Bali travel warning
CANBERRA, Australia (JP): Australia refused on Tuesday to ease a travel warning for
Indonesia despite lobbying by Jakarta, which says security has been improved on the
island of Bali since the deadly October 2002 bombings.
Reuters reported that State Minister for Tourism and Culture I Gede Ardika met with
Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer here on Tuesday, four months
after the bombings that killed at least 194 people.
"(We do not) adjust travel advisories on the basis of lobbying efforts, that's not the
way they operate," a spokesman for Downer said after the meeting. "I'm afraid the
primary consideration always is the safety of Australians."
Australia has advised its citizens to defer nonessential travel to Indonesia, including
Bali, in the wake of the Oct. 12 bombings. It says threats against Australians "remain
high".
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