Clark tells Wahid she wants justice for slain soldier

6:30 pm - By GUY GRANT

Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid has been told by Prime Minister Helen Clark that the memory of slain Burnham soldier Leonard Manning is very important to New Zealanders.

Clark told Wahid in Christchurch today that New Zealand would continue to press for Private Manning's killer to be brought to justice, saying the country owed it to his memory and family.

Helen Clark raised the issue of Private Manning's death during a top level meeting with Wahid, who arrived in New Zealand this afternoon.

Private Leonard Manning was killed while serving with New Zealand peacekeepers in East Timor last July, and his killer has never been brought to justice.

"We have received a most encouraging response out of Jakarta," Miss Clark said following the meeting.

She understood authorities would send an investigative team to Dili to get to witnesses, and said there had been considerable movement in tracking down and prosecuting Private Manning's killer.

Trade, education, agriculture and the treatment of Auckland human rights activist Maire Leadbeater were other issues to be raised in the meeting between the Prime Minister and the President - the first visit to New Zealand by an Indonesian head of state in almost 30 years.

Helen Clark said she hoped Indonesia would take part in dialogue with other West Pacific nations such as Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

Participating in such a "family of nations'' was a way for Indonesia and its former province East Timor to talk, she said.

President Wahid said New Zealand's achievement in basing so much of its economic success on agriculture was an example to Indonesia, while he also paid tribute to New Zealand's role in international affairs.

When asked what he thought of a country which had so many women in positions of power, the father of four daughters said he was used to living in a household of women.

He said Maire Leadbeater's treatment had come about through an "archaic'' law and had come at an unfortunate moment.

Helen Clark said the New Zealand government was satisifed its concerns had been "taken on board' by the Indonesian authorities.

President Wahid will leave New Zealand tomorrow morning after his visit.

- CHRISTCHURCH STAR

Wahid lands in Christchurch

Feature: Indonesia

CIA World Factbook: Indonesia (with map)

Dept. of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia

Antara news agency

Indonesian Observer

The Jakarta Post

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor

East Timor Action Network