AUSTRALIA WILL REVIEW HOW IT GRANTS VISAS TO ASYLUM SEEKERS, PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD SAID ON FRIDAY, AFTER INDONESIA COMPLAINED IT WAS NOT CONSULTED OVER CANBERRA'S DECISION TO GIVE 42 PAPUANS PROTECTION VISAS, REUTERS REPORTED. AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT RECOGNISED THE 42 BOAT PEOPLE FROM INDONESIA'S TROUBLED PAPUA PROVINCE AS REFUGEES LAST MONTH AFTER THEY SAILED FROM THEIR HOMELAND IN A TRADITIONAL OUTRIGGER WITH A BANNER ACCUSING INDONESIA OF GENOCIDE. JAKARTA DENIES SUCH CHARGES AND BELIEVES CANBERRA SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR VERIFICATION OF THE ASYLUM SEEKERS' CLAIMS. IT SEES AUSTRALIA'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE PAPUANS AS GIVING CREDENCE TO THEIR CLAIMS OF ILL-TREATMENT AND AS SUPPORT FOR PAPUAN INDEPENDENCE. 'WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THAT REVIEW YOU CAN BE CERTAIN THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MEET OUR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS, BUT WE'LL ALSO PAY PROPER REGARD TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND INDONESIA,' HOWARD TOLD REPORTERS. HOWARD HAS BEEN ADAMANT THAT AUSTRALIA VIEWS PAPUA AS PART OF INDONESIA. 'WE'RE DEALING HERE WITH THE FUTURE OF THE LARGEST ISLAMIC COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND A MODERATE ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP,' HE SAID. 'ONE OF THE GREATEST ANTI-TERRORIST BLOWS THAT CAN BE STRUCK IS A SUCCESSFUL, PROGRESSIVE, DEMOCRATIC INDONESIA ... THE BEST PATH FORWARD FOR WEST PAPUA IS TO BE PART OF A MORE PROSPEROUS, MORE DEMOCRATIC INDONESIA.' THE VISA OFFER FOR THE ASYLUM SEEKERS, WHO LANDED ON AUSTRALIA'S REMOTE NORTHEASTERN TIP IN LATE JANUARY, HAS STRAINED RELATIONS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBOURS. THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS OUTSIDE THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN JAKARTA AND CALLS FOR A BOYCOTT OF AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTS.
