Dili – Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, returning to East Timor from Jakarta Friday, said he had held successful talks with Indonesia's new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

On the sidelines of his visit here to attend the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri talked on Wednesday with The Jakarta Post's Veeramalla Anjaiah and Adianto P. Simamora. The following are excerpts of the interview.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is looking to mend ties between Jakarta and Canberra, which have been strained since Australia led a multinational peacekeeping force in East Timor in 1999.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – In a wide-ranging speech to the nation just hours after he had been sworn in as the sixth president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to lead a government very different from that of his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The Indonesian press has hailed the swearing in of the country's new president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and called on the nation to give him time to prove his mettle.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Almost all private sector broadcasters in the country are failing to comply with the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI)'s standards, which entered into effect late in August.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was sworn in as Indonesia's sixth president, promising to revive a precarious economy by personally leading a war on endemic graft while also tackling terrorism.

Matthew Moore – Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had not even been sworn in as Indonesia's sixth president when the first demonstrators arrived at the parliament's gates.

They carried placards demanding corrupt businessmen be jailed, and while there was no venom in their demands for justice, their presence was another reminder that the people are growing impatient.

Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves as of October 15, reached US$34.81 billion, rising by $91.90 million from the previous week, the central bank reported. "The hike was mainly caused by (higher) oil and gas revenue," it said in a media statement on Wednesday, largely due to the soaring international oil prices.

As Indonesia's new leadership team confronts the challenge of revitalising the country's moribund economy, concern is being expressed in some quarters about how the government plans to implement reform. Indonesia's ethnic Chinese are especially worried that they could be the victims of discriminatory economic policies.

East Timor believes that the Starbucks seal of approval will give its key coffee industry a fillip. The world's leading retailer of speciality coffee on October 10 launched its first single-origin coffee from East Timor at Starbucks branches around Australia and New Zealand, a company spokeswoman said.

Jakarta – Indonesia's new defense minister said Thursday he plans to visit Washington to urge the resumption of military ties with his country – the world's biggest Muslim nation and a key ally in the global fight against terror.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Indonesia remains one of the world's most corrupt nations, despite the current reform era that began after the 1998 fall of president Soeharto, indicates a report from the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) Indonesia.

Banda Aceh – Thousands of Acehnese refugees from East Aceh regency have not returned to the regency because of the continued conflict here, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

The following is President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's speech, which he delivered at the State Palace after his inauguration on Wednesday at the People's Consultative Assembly:

While it offered little that was exceptional in this kind of address, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's inaugural speech gave us a picture of the concerns foremost in his mind.

Nani Afrida, Aceh – The Acehnese, who long for change, are largely upbeat over the inauguration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president, as they believe he is more popular and more capable than his predecessor.

Jakarta – As the inauguration ceremony of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla was being broadcast throughout the archipelago, 75-year-old Mardiyem closed the two-and-a-half-page letter she had written in Javanese to the new administration: "The previous administrations have neglected us ...

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accused former minister for the environment Nabiel Makarim of misleading the public in the Buyat Bay case on Wednesday by releasing a report that had not yet been approved by the team assigned to examine alleged mercury contamination there.

Jakarta – As many as four people and a priest in the Puncak Jaya regency of West Papua were killed by shots suspected to have been fired from a TNI (armed forces) helicopter. Fearing for their lives as many as 500 people living in and around the area where the shooting occurred have sought refuge on Wijaya Mountain.

Paul Barber, London – It is not yet clear whether the election of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president of Indonesia is a positive development for West Papua and whether he will bring peace and stability to the restive territory any closer. The signals are ambiguous and we simply do not know what policies the new president will pursue when in office.

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta – Despite an extensive campaign against HIV/AIDS in Papua, the number of local people living with the deadly virus continues to increase, making the province one of the regions worst affected by the disease.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri woke up as an ordinary citizen on Wednesday.

She spent her first day as former head of state with her grandchildren at her residence on Jl. Kebagusan in South Jakarta, an opportunity that eluded her during most of her three years and three months as president.

Jakarta – Congratulatory messages from around the world poured in for Indonesia's new president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the occasion of his inauguration on Wednesday.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's United Indonesia Cabinet is a mixture of old and new faces, comprising members of several political parties, as well as experienced professionals and retired military officers.

Jakarta – Indonesia's newly-installed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inducted his "United Indonesia Cabinet" ministers at the state palace here today.

The 36 ministers include Hassan Wirajuda, Hatta Radjasa, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Bachtiar Chamsyah who have served in the previous government of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Jakarta – After a long debate, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono finally announced his Cabinet lineup on Wednesday night.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Police have arrested an man alleged to be behind recent communal violence in Mamasa, West Sulawesi, and have begun seizing firearms and traditional weapons from warring villagers.

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – Members of a Muslim youth organization on Wednesday attacked several pig farms in South Tatura they said were polluting the area as the police looked on.

About 20 pigs were slaughtered in the attack and farmers estimated total losses at Rp 75 million (US$7,978). No one was injured.

Jakarta – President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is struggling to put together a Cabinet on the eve of his inauguration as various political forces lobby to have their say or secure seats at the Cabinet table for their own people.

Jakarta – President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to take office on Wednesday and before long he will have to start working and fulfilling the promises he and running-mate Jusuf Kalla made to the electorate during the election campaign.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Saying good-bye is never easy, but it is especially difficult for President Megawati Soekarnoputri as she prepares to leave her childhood home, the Presidential Palace.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – The month between Indonesia's presidential vote and Wednesday's inauguration of the country's first directly elected president brings to mind the classic Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Jakarta – At the end of his tenure as minister of religious affairs, Said Agil Al Munawwar sparked controversy on Tuesday by banning any discussion of a draft revision of the Body of Islamic Law that was produced by a team under his ministry.

Jakarta – A labor union is protesting the government's plan to close down fertilizer manufacturer PT Asean Aceh Fertilizer (AAF), calling for efforts to seek alternatives.

The Worker's Union of State-owned Enterprises Federation said it refused such a plan because the Aceh-based firm had made significant contributions to both the local and national economy.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Acting coordinating minister for political and security affairs Hari Sabarno advised the new government to put law enforcement and rights promotion, particularly in conflict-torn areas, at the top of its priority list.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Some 300 members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) were told to check out of the Mulia Hotel on Tuesday after its leaders realized, belatedly, that there was no need after all for them to stay in the five-star hotel.

Rofiqi Hasan, Jakarta – Scores of students in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, held a demonstration on Wednesday October 20 to coincide with the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

Anthony Smith, Jakarta – One of the interesting photos from the recent Indonesian presidential election featured candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pausing for a day to sit for a doctoral-level examination in agricultural economics at the Bogor Institute for Agriculture.

Medan – An economic observer from Indonesia's North Sumatra University, Jhon Tafbu Ritonga M.Ec, said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's (SBY) new government should keep its distance from international financial institutions. This included the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – After a lengthy delay, the government inaugurated on Tuesday the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), as mandated by Law No. 8/1999 on consumer protection.

Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Soewandi installed 17 members of the BPKN for the period of 2004-2007.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Indonesia
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110 Indonesia

Dear Mr President,

Suwarjono, Jakarta – Journalists have returned to a "period of gloom" at the new presidential palace. The freedoms which were enjoyed during the presidencies of B.J. Habibie, Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) and Megawati Sukarnoputri are gone.

Dana R. Dillon – One issue needs to stand out from all others for Indonesia's new president when he takes office today – terrorism. To be sure, it's far from the only problem that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will have to contend with – everything from corruption to the lack of foreign investment is also crying out for attention.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The whereabouts of the bodies of five migrants, killed a week ago by suspected separatist rebels in a remote area of Papua, remained a mystery on Tuesday as soldiers and police continued to hunt the gunmen.

Adi Mawardi, Surabaya – Scores of students from a various groups in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya held actions at the State Grahadi Building on Wednesday October 20. They were calling for a government which is clean, free from corruption, collusion and nepotism along with one which will uphold the supremacy of law.

Dian Yuliastuti, Jakarta – Scores of students from a number of student and labour groups have demonstrated demanding that the new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice-president Jusuf Kalla create a democratic government.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Hundreds of members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) checked in at the Mulia Hotel on Monday despite calls by their chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid to lead a simple lifestyle.

Jakarta – President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is being urged to form a clean and productive government.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Demonstrators rallied in Jayapura yesterday demanding that recently elected president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono allow international negotiators to end the decades-long conflict in Papua.

The protest by up to 500 students came as church leaders and civil groups began lobbying Mr Yudhoyono for Papuan self rule in Indonesia's easternmost province.