Australia, RI ties in new phase<\/p>\n
By Terry Friel<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuter): It was a sight that would have alarmed many
\nAustralians just a few years ago -- 150 crack Indonesian
\nparatroopers dropping from the sky in the Australian Outback.<\/p>\n
But Indonesia's involvement in the multinational Kangaroo '95
\nwar games this year was just one of the latest, and more visible,
\nsigns of a dramatic bonding between Canberra and Jakarta in
\nrecent years.<\/p>\n
That relationship was further cemented on Monday when
\nAustralian Prime Minister Paul Keating and Indonesia's veteran
\nPresident Soeharto presided over the signing of an historic
\nsecurity pact between the two, vastly different, neighbors.<\/p>\n
Keating hailed the pact, Indonesia's first with any nation, as
\nan important step for regional peace and for two countries whose
\nrelations have often been tense.<\/p>\n
\"This is a major strategic development for Australia and for
\nthe region and a development of fundamental importance in our
\nbilateral relationship with Indonesia,\" Keating said.<\/p>\n
Indeed, defense ties have often fared best during trials in
\nthe overall relationship, underpinning broader interests.<\/p>\n
Analysts and diplomats said the pact represented a maturing of
\nthe relationship and a major change in regional security.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't necessarily mean a big change in the day-to-day
\nway things are done, there's already more and more military
\ncooperation between Indonesia and Australia,\" said a Canberra-
\nbased Asian diplomat.<\/p>\n
\"But this is a message to the region and to the world --
\n`We're good friends, we've got the same (strategic) interests,
\nand we'll look after those interests'.<\/p>\n
\"And it formalizes what's already been going on, so that when
\nPrime Minister Keating and President Soeharto go, what they've
\nset in place will continue.\"<\/p>\n
The treaty, and the recent appointment of a new Indonesian
\nambassador to Canberra, marks an easing of recent tensions.<\/p>\n
The new treaty commits Jakarta and Canberra to regular
\nministerial consultations about security, to increasing
\ncooperation and to consultations in the event of a threat to
\neither country or to regional security.<\/p>\n
\"It's not a defense pact or alliance with automatic agreement
\non support in the event of an attack,\" Keating said.<\/p>\n
Just 30 years ago, Indonesian and Australian troops faced off
\nagainst each other in the jungles of Borneo during Jakarta's
\nexpansionist military adventure known as \"Confrontation\".<\/p>\n
A decade ago relations were frozen, Australian journalists
\nwere thrown out of Jakarta and a planeload of tourists was turned
\nback from Bali in a row sparked by a newspaper article about
\nSoeharto's family business interests.<\/p>\n
Now Australian and Indonesian troops could one day be called
\non to fight together against a common military threat.<\/p>\n
Keating, facing a national election expected in March and
\ntrailing badly against his conservative opponents in opinion
\npolls, acknowledges there will be opposition at home.<\/p>\n
Critics say the treaty could see Australian soldiers called on
\nto help Jakarta put down an internal revolt, and that it erodes
\nCanberra's ability to tackle Indonesia over human rights
\nconcerns, particularly in the disputed Indonesian-ruled territory
\nof East Timor.<\/p>\n
But Keating, who has made Asia the focus of his foreign
\npolicy, said the pact did not lessen Australia's commitment to
\ntackle human rights and did not apply to internal security.<\/p>\n
Keating places great store in his personal relationship with
\n74-year-old Soeharto, who has ruled the world's fourth most
\npopulous nation for 30 years.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said the security pact
\nsignaled relations had deepened. But he added: \"Please do not
\nthink because of this agreement, suddenly we will agree sweetly
\non everything that comes before us.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-ri-ties-in-new-phase-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}