Australian Prime Minister John Howard welcomed Wednesday a new security pact between his country and Indonesia, saying it shows the maturity of bilateral relationship.

He said foreign ministers of the two countries will sign the new treaty next week.

"I think it's a manifestation of the balance and maturity of the relationship," Howard told reporters.

"It does show that our relationship has moved on and absorbed some of the adversities surrounding it, arising out of East Timor and more recently out of the 43 asylum-seekers," he said.

Under the terms of the new treaty, which came following two years of negotiations, Canberra and Jakarta have pledged not to support separatist causes in each other's country.

This was a key demand made by Jakarta in the wake of tensions between the two countries generated by Australia's granting of temporary protection visas to 43 asylum-seekers earlier this year from Indonesia's Papua province, where separatist movement has been active.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer hailed the treaty as "an agreement of historic proportions."

He said consolidating agreements on counter terrorism, people smuggling and drug trafficking are the most significant parts of the treaty.

Source: Xinhua