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Australia lowers warnings for Indonesia provinces
27 Jun 2008 07:07:44 GMT
 Source: Reuters
CANBERRA, June 27 (Reuters) - Australia lowered on Friday travel warnings for two Indonesian provinces with a history of religious and ethnic bloodletting, but continued to warn citizens to think hard before travelling to the country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the risk of violence had fallen in both Central Sulawesi and Maluku provinces as spates of violence had eased. Bombings and shootings had occured regularly in these provinces despite crackdowns by security forces.

Still, the Australian advice warned that the security situation in the Central Sulawesi province, including Palu, Poso and Tentena, remained "unsettled".

"There is a risk of bomb attacks and shootings," it warned. Risks also remained in Maluku, the advice said, despite recent calm.

Indonesia has been pressuring Australia to lower travel warnings to reflect improving security and help boost tourism and foreign investment to the country.

The United States last month lifted its travel warning after "objective improvements" in security since major bombings in Jakarta and the vacation island of Bali between 2002 and 2005.

But Australia said it was not changing the overall threat level of its advice, despite President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pressing Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during a official visit this month by the Australian leader to Jakarta.

"We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack," the advice said.

A total of 92 Australians have died in bombings in Bali between October 2002 and October 2005, while Canberra's Jakarta embassy was bombed and severely damaged in September 2004.

"There have been recent arrests of high level terrorist operatives in Indonesia, but we assess terrorists are continuing to plan attacks. These attacks could take place at any time, including in places frequented by foreigners," the warning said. (Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Valerie Lee)


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Last updated:Fri Jun 27 07:11:29 2008