[Nasional-e] Govt. warns Australia not to strike against terrorists in neighboring countries

[Ambon]

http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillatestnews.asp?fileid=20021201133432&ire
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Govt. warns Australia not to strike against terrorists in neighboring
countries

JAKARTA(JP) - Indonesia has warned Australia not toflout international law
after Prime Minister John Howard said he was prepared to strike
pre-emptively against terrorists who use neighboring Asian countries as
bases to attack Australian interests, AFP reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Marti Natalegawa saidSunday that Australia had no
right to take military action in other countries.

"Fortunately, states cannot willy-nilly flout international law and norms.
We have to work within the system," he said.

On Australian television on Sunday, Howard suggested the U.N. Charter be
amended to permit a country to launch pre-emptive strikes against terrorists
in other states.

Marty said Indonesia understood Australia's "horrific experience" in recent
terrorist attacks, but "in the fight against terror, no country can act
above the law and norms. The change has to be decided by the 190-odd members
of the U.N. and this is not easy."

Howard's remarks, which his office said were hypothetical, come as his
nation nervously watches how Southeast Asian countries to its north deal
with Islamic militants in the wake of the Oct. 12bombings in Bali.

The attack left at least 185 people dead, mostly foreigners.