Prime Minister Jenny Shipley today extended New Zealand’s congratulations to President Wahid on being elected to office as the fourth President of the Republic of Indonesia.

President Wahid’s election by Indonesia’s supreme parliamentary body - the People’s Consultative Assembly - follows parliamentary elections in June.

"President Wahid faces a challenging task as he assumes the Presidency of Indonesia.

"His moral authority as a respected religious leader in Indonesia, his long commitment to inclusion and reconciliation, and the political skills he has shown during the election process, all bode well for Indonesia’s future.

"Developments in East Timor remain a current focus for domestic and international attention.

"We took this opportunity to reiterate our congratulations on the historic decision taken yesterday by Indonesia to recognise the outcome of the UN ballot in East Timor.

"We look forward to working with President Wahid and his Government to support a peaceful transition to independence for East Timor, and the effective reconstruction and development of East Timor.

"We want to build on the many common interests that exist between our two countries. Despite the differences in our size and economies we share interests in economic prosperity, growth and regional stability."

"New Zealand looks forward to consolidating those relationships with Indonesia in the period ahead," said Mrs Shipley.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>