Indonesia targets Aust travel warnings, visas
Indonesia has called for a fresh perspective on relations with Australia, including free visas for movement between the two countries.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Aburizal Bakrie, told the Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Forum it is time to build a more comprehensive economic, political and social relationship.
Mr Bakrie says Australia should relax its travelling warnings about Indonesia and introduce free visas for Indonesians.
“Our friendship I think will be even strengthened more for the future if we can both have the more access for goods as well as more access for people, between our two countries,” he said.
Mr Bakrie told the forum in Canberra that the relationship with Australia is one of Indonesia’s most important.
Australia’s Foreign Minister told the forum that Indonesia’s democracy can bring a new dimension to the relationship between the two countries.
Alexander Downer says Indonesia is enormously important to Australia because of geography, growing economic integration, terrorism in South-East Asia, and the negotiations for a free trade agreement between ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand.
Related Travel Information
Indonesian officials have played down a warning issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), that terrorists are in what is described as the very advanced stages of planning attacks in Indonesia.
The warning, posted on the Australian Government's travel website, says the attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia.
"We continue to receive a stream of credible reporting suggesting that terrorists are in the very advanced stages of planning attacks in Indonesia," the warning said.
"Attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia and could be directed at any locations known to be
This Public Announcement is being issued to alert Americans to ongoing security concerns in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza related to the Israeli disengagement from settlements in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank, which will begin on August 15, 2005.
Washington, D.C. - infoZine - This Public Announcement supplements the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza dated June 20, 2005, and expires on October 15, 2005.
During the Israeli disengagement, police and security authorities in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza will significantly increase their presence to help secure the affected areas. Persons opposed to disengagement
Indonesia has decided to allow more tourists to buy visas on their arrival in the country, in a bid to boost tourism.
The Jakarta Post reports, the new regulation was announced by Justice Minister Hamid Awaluddin on Friday.
It applies to visitors from 14 countries including China, India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt.
A 30-day visa will cost US$25, and a six-day one, $10.
Authorities say they hope the new law will boost the number of foreign visitors to around 6 million this year.
Indonesia's tourism sector was badly hit by the October 2002 bombings on the island of Bali, which killed 202 people, most
Indonesian police are on the trail of two suspected bombers who killed 20 people in a Christian town in Indonesia last week, following confessions by some suspects already in custody. Travel warnings and alerts have been issued.
A police official said 17 people have been arrested so far and says they have told about two more suspects who may have directly carried out the attacks in the town of Tentena in Sulawesi Island.
“Now we are still hunting two others,” said Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi, chief of Central Sulawesi police, according to the Associated press.
He added, “Based on their confessions, the two
Indian IT professionals hoping to emigrate to the US are likely to get another golden opportunity to do so as the US Senate is seriously debating the addition of 60,000 H-1B visas to the annual quota of 65,000, which has already been snapped up in record time.
The draft legislation now before the US Senate Judiciary Committee would raise the number of visas allowed for skilled foreign workers if it is adopted, Computerworld, an American publication, reported.
The annual cap of 65,000 visas introduced some months ago was lapped up mainly by Indian IT professionals within days of its
