ID :
46715
Fri, 02/20/2009 - 23:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/46715
The shortlink copeid
ANU INDONESIANIST URGES AUSSIE GOVT TO REVOKE TRAVEL WARNING
Sydney, Feb 20 (ANTARA) - An Indonesianist of the Australian National University (ANU) Greg Fealy said the Australian government has no other choice but revoking the travel warning for Indonesia if Canberra was serious enough to bolster the teaching of the Indonesian language at schools and campuses.
"The 62 million Australian dollars the Australian government has prepared to increase the study of Asia and languages deserved support, but only for secondary schools, not universities or colleges. This also required a change of attitude on the part of the Australian government with regard to the travel warning," he said.
Speaking to ANTARA after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a speech on the conditions, direction, and future of Indonesia-Australian relations during a dinner on the occasion of the Indonesia-Australia Relations Conference in Sydney Thursday night (Feb 19), he said that the revocation of the travel warning would be very important.
But Fealy appreciated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's optimistic address on the future of Indonesia-Australia bilateral relations.
Actually Australia should be the most Asia literate in the Western world. "If this happened, the government needs to change its policy which had been rather stingy towards the study of Bahasa Indonesia and studies about Indonesia in Australia. So, I am waiting if he (Kevin Rudd) meets his promise," he said.
On the Indonesia-Australia relations conference with the theme "partners in a new era", Greg Fealy said it may be associated with an Australian agenda in the international group G-20.
"In which it is obvious that the Australian government wishes for close cooperation with Indonesia in implement various agendas in the G20 forum, rather than in G-7. I believe that G20 is a priority in the Rudd administration and this conference may be a step in realizing such cooperation," he said.
Earlier, in his address Rudd underlined Indonesia's important position for Australia in facing joint challenges at regional and global level and the significance of bilateral cooperation for the future of the two nations.
"The 62 million Australian dollars the Australian government has prepared to increase the study of Asia and languages deserved support, but only for secondary schools, not universities or colleges. This also required a change of attitude on the part of the Australian government with regard to the travel warning," he said.
Speaking to ANTARA after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a speech on the conditions, direction, and future of Indonesia-Australian relations during a dinner on the occasion of the Indonesia-Australia Relations Conference in Sydney Thursday night (Feb 19), he said that the revocation of the travel warning would be very important.
But Fealy appreciated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's optimistic address on the future of Indonesia-Australia bilateral relations.
Actually Australia should be the most Asia literate in the Western world. "If this happened, the government needs to change its policy which had been rather stingy towards the study of Bahasa Indonesia and studies about Indonesia in Australia. So, I am waiting if he (Kevin Rudd) meets his promise," he said.
On the Indonesia-Australia relations conference with the theme "partners in a new era", Greg Fealy said it may be associated with an Australian agenda in the international group G-20.
"In which it is obvious that the Australian government wishes for close cooperation with Indonesia in implement various agendas in the G20 forum, rather than in G-7. I believe that G20 is a priority in the Rudd administration and this conference may be a step in realizing such cooperation," he said.
Earlier, in his address Rudd underlined Indonesia's important position for Australia in facing joint challenges at regional and global level and the significance of bilateral cooperation for the future of the two nations.
