Australia dismisses involvement in recent riot in Indonesia's Papua

Australia on Friday dismissed its involvement in recent riot in Indonesia's Papua province, stressing its respect on a treaty to honor its neighbor' s sovereignty and integrity. "The fundamental point in the Lombok Treaty between Australia and Indonesia says that Australia respects Indonesia's territory and integrity, and that includes Indonesia's sovereignty in provinces of Papua and West Papua," Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty told a general lecture at the University of Indonesia in Depok City of West Java province. He also said that Australia is against any movement intending to separate Papua from Indonesia. "We do not support movements that seek to interfere with Indonesia's integrity and territory. And, we understand the security challenge in Papua and issues that against government of Indonesia," he said. Related the recent chaos in an event of independence congress held by some Papuans, Moriarty said that his country expects Indonesia to make a thorough investigation. "We are very much hoping that Indonesia conducts a comprehensive investigation as several people died in the congress, " he said. Moriarty also said that the congress, in which a president and a prime minister were declared, was illegal, provocative and unproductive."We don't believe that the declaration of independence is constructive contribution to the dialog to make Papua more prosperous," he said.