Fed: Howard says Keating would have left East Timor to its fate

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2000
Fed: Howard says Keating would have left East Timor to its fate

CANBERRA, April 2 AAP - East Timor and its people would have been abandoned to their
fate if Paul Keating was still prime minister, his successor John Howard said today.

Mr Howard said most Australians, including millions of Labor supporters, would be astonished
at Mr Keating's criticism of the government's performance over East Timor and the region.

He said Australia was now more respected in Asia than ever before because it had done
the right thing over East Timor.

"It's very clear that if Mr Keating had still been prime minister last year we wouldn't
have stuck up for the East Timorese. We would have left them to their fate," he said on
Sky News.

"If he'd still been running the show last year he wouldn't have helped the East Timorese."

"I think Mr Keating shows a great misunderstanding and insensitivity towards what was
at stake in East Timor."

Mr Howard said there were even many in Indonesia who believed Australia was right over
East Timor.

He said there was no evidence that Australia was more marginalised in the region than
ever before.

Australia under Labor had an Asia-only focus while Australia now had an Asia-first
focus, he said.

"We now have I think a more balanced foreign policy and we're getting benefits as a
result," Mr Howard said.

"It's one of the reasons why we stared down the Asian economic downturn.

"If we'd have had an Asia-only focus like Mr Keating wanted, I think we'd have been
knocked around by the Asian recession a lot more than we were."

AAP mb/it/br

KEYWORD: HOWARD KEATING

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