ABC AUSTRALIA, 26/05/2005, 22:44:45
Vanuatu president raises West Papua with Indonesian
counterpart
Vanuatu's president, Kalkot Mataskelekel, says he told the Indonesian president,
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, last month that Indonesian soldiers should stop killing
people in West Papua province.
Mr Mataskelekel says he quoted the Bible commandment 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' to his
Indonesian counterpart.
He says he also suggested to President Yudhoyono that if West Papua were given
autonomy, it could apply to join the Pacific Islands Forum.
He said the Forum, which is the key political organisation in the Pacific region,
already includes some states that are not fully independent.
Our Pacific correspondent, Sean Dorney, says the Vanuatu president made the
remarks while addressing the parliament in Port Vila.
He says according to local media reports, the president said it was not usual for
Vanuatu's head of state to talk about foreign affairs with another government.
However, he said he had done so because the issue of West Papua was in the hearts
of the Vanuatu people.
© 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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