Making waves in Paradise

The Australian government is determined to play bully in the Asia-Pacific region. If East Timor does not have sufficient troubles, John Howard is more than ready to add more.

IT WAS not unusual that the East Timorese Government was unaware of the Australian military deployment towards its shores, the Prime Minister, John Howard, said yesterday.

East Timor's Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, complained at the weekend that the Australian Government had not informed him of the deployment of ships and troops.

PM Howard said there was no reason to tell the Timorese.
"Naturally, what happens in relation to Australian military assets is a matter for Australia," he said.