Australian Food Aid for Indonesia

MEDIA RELEASE

Released By:
Downer

I am pleased to announce that Australia will be
providing an additional $7 million package of food assistance to Indonesia
through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), utilising approximately
11,000 tonnes of Australian rice.

This rice will be channelled through WFP's Emergency
Operation for Indonesia. The Operation targets the poorest and most
nutritionally vulnerable groups in the Indonesian population. The Government,
through AusAID, is consulting with WFP on arrangements for early delivery of the
rice.

This latest food aid package brings total Australian
humanitarian assistance in response to the Indonesian crisis to $60
million.

I have informed the Indonesian Government of this
assistance, through my meeting today in Adelaide with the Indonesian Minister
for Food and Horticulture, Dr Saefuddin.

As I told the Minister, the Australian Government
appreciates fully - and continues to be greatly concerned about - the current
food security difficulties of the Indonesian people. As an all-weather friend of
the Indonesian people, Australia remains firmly committed to helping Indonesia
to alleviate these difficulties.

In the last year Australia has responded to
Indonesia's food security situation with a range of appropriate measures,
including provision of a food assistance package utilising 45,000 tonnes of
Australian wheat.

In addition Australia has supported a major relief
operation in Irian Jaya involving AusAID and the Australian Defence Force. We
have also funded a range of village-level relief and income generation
activities implemented through international agencies and non-government
organisations.

This assistance is additional to Australia's pledge
of $120 million in total aid flows to Indonesia for FY1998/99, bringing the
total to $127 million.