Analysts say no to Australian forces<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Political observers have recommended against
\nthe inclusion of Australian forces in a peacekeeping contingent
\nfor East Timor, but conceded that the government lacks power to
\nreject their participation.<\/p>\n
They urged that a peacekeeping force be comprised
\npredominantly of Asian and African countries, along with
\n\"neutral\" European states such as Sweden and Norway.<\/p>\n
They said that given the emotionally charged sentiment
\nprevailing across the country, it would be unwise to include
\nforces from countries such as Australia and the United States.<\/p>\n
M. Najib Azca of Gadjah Mada University's Center for Peace and
\nSecurity Studies said it would be difficult for Indonesia to
\naccept Australia, given questions raised about its neutrality.<\/p>\n
\"Sentiments against Australia in Indonesia are at a high,
\nbecause it concerns pride... even though that can be debated,\"
\nhe said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
International relations researcher M. Imran Hanafie of
\nHasanuddin University said that given the current climate the
\ngovernment must lobby the United Nations and not \"blindly\" accept
\nthe force's composition.<\/p>\n
\"I'm afraid the presence of forces from Australia and the
\nUnited States under the UN flag will only create new
\ncomplications with prointegration forces,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Imran, who is head of the international relations department
\nat the university, told The Jakarta Post that countries such as
\nSweden, Norway and Malaysia would be more acceptable.<\/p>\n
He said there were strong suspicions that Australia and the
\nUnited States had ulterior motives in participating in the
\npeacekeeping force.<\/p>\n
Lambang Trijono of the Center for Peace and Security Studies
\nin Yogyakarta also suggested that \"Western\" countries had a
\nstrong interest in seeing Australia included, because it was
\nviewed as a \"doorway\" into Asia and East Timor.<\/p>\n
However he conceded it would be difficult for Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Ali Alatas to set conditions for the peacekeeping
\nforce, given Jakarta's weak bargaining position.<\/p>\n
\"Minister of Foreign Affairs Alatas will face tough
\nnegotiations in New York, because he faces the interest of
\nEuropean and Australian interests in East Timor,\" Lambang told
\nthe Post here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He said the most that Indonesia could do was to block
\nPortugal's inclusion.<\/p>\n
\"It's even going to be hard to stop an Australian or American
\nfrom heading the force.\"<\/p>\n
Lambang urged Indonesia to seek support from fellow Asian
\nstates, and in particular China, using the cause of a common
\nAsian interest.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia has to ensure that the peacekeeping force is
\ncomprised as much as possible of Asian countries, especially
\nChina,\" he said, noting that China has a veto right in the UN
\nSecurity Council.<\/p>\n
Gadjah Mada University political lecturer Praktino said
\nIndonesia should demand to have some say in the formation of the
\npeacekeeping force, given that technically East Timor was still
\npart of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the UN resolution, until the General Session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly is held, East Timor is still the
\nresponsibility of Indonesia. Thus Indonesia is still the host of
\nthe UN forces,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and
\nVictims of Violence (Kontras), Munir, while supporting the
\npresence of international peacekeepers, said if the UN completely
\nneglected Indonesia's appeals then it could face trouble in
\nadapting to conditions in East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"Let them come in. They'll find out for themselves the
\ncomplexities of dealing with the situation in East Timor,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Personally, I'd like to see neutral countries like those from
\nAfrica and fellow ASEAN states who are not involved in East
\nTimor.\" (23\/27\/44\/emf\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/analysts-say-no-to-australian-forces-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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