How Susilo improved our international image<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With his victory in the country's first direct presidential
\nelection giving him a clear mandate for economic reform, among
\nother things, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono marked his first year in
\noffice on Oct. 20.
\n The performance evaluation of President Susilo's first year --
\nat least from a domestic viewpoint -- does not reflect a good
\nyear for his people.<\/p>\n
Yet, his performance in the field of foreign policy seems to
\nreflect the reverse. He is transforming the country into a full-
\nfledged democracy at an opportune time, with the objectives of
\nrestoring its credibility and international position and meeting
\ndomestic needs.<\/p>\n
The success of the democratization process has provided
\nIndonesia with the framework to be more productive, proactive and
\nassertive in its international diplomacy.<\/p>\n
It is no secret, however, that foreign policy issues have
\nalways fallen outside the mainstream agenda of national policy --
\nparticularly as a series of domestic problems have occurred amid
\nthe creation of a more stable and democratic nation.<\/p>\n
In reality, the government's foreign policy over the past one
\nyear has to some extent succeeded in changing the international
\ncommunity's perception of our country.<\/p>\n
The government's commitment to be continually part of the
\ninternational community -- as well as its full support for a more
\nmultilateralized world -- has helped the country gain its
\nconfidence over the management and solution of regional and
\ninternational problems.<\/p>\n
Susilo, to the surprise of many -- and compared to his
\npredecessor whose diplomacy appeared to be encumbered by
\nseemingly unclear foreign policy objectives -- has shown
\nremarkable leadership in the realm of foreign policy. He seems to
\nhave a good grasp on the country's international affairs and
\nunderstands the importance of international links if we are to
\nsolve our domestic problems.<\/p>\n
Susilo is aware that, while Indonesia is perceived as the most
\ninfluential country in the region, it continues to struggle for
\nits economic recovery. So, his presence at international forums
\nis assumed to be dictated by the need for consistency in the
\ncountry's foreign relations, so as to maintain external resources
\nfor economic development.<\/p>\n
The past year saw the country participate in extensive
\ndiplomatic activities, proving the irrelevancy of the notion that
\nit is inward-looking. Those in foreign policy communities would
\nnot disagree that Indonesia, due to Susilo's foreign policy
\nleadership, is now an outward-looking country very much eager to
\nshape regional and international order and intent on being heard.<\/p>\n
This has been the dawn of a new internationalism for the
\ncountry as it pushes for an ASEAN Security Community and, along
\nwith others, reviews membership for the next East Asia Summit.<\/p>\n
After the tsunami, Indonesia called for global solidarity to
\nhelp the victims, and in early January, Jakarta was the venue for
\na tsunami summit attended by ASEAN leaders, leaders of tsunami-
\nhit countries and donor countries, as well as the UN
\nsecretary-general and the president of the World Bank.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to add more weight to the country's new
\ninternationalism, Indonesia hosted the Asian African Summit
\nattended by 108 countries where a New Strategic Partnership was
\ndeclared between Asia and African countries to work for peace and
\nprosperity.<\/p>\n
So, the execution of the country's internationalism is based
\non the existence of Indonesia as a sovereign state. The message
\nsent by such a profile is actually to encourage multilateralism,
\na position that Indonesia has long adhered to, in which world
\nleadership is not held by any single country and to show that our
\nlong-term interests are of greater value than our short-term
\nneeds. Susilo's foreign policy position may have been dictated by
\nan assumption of the importance of sharing common interests with
\nother members of the international community, and not because of
\ndifferences in respective countries' policy orientation.<\/p>\n
The writer is director of the Scientific Infrastructure and
\nPublication; chief editor of The Indonesian Quarterly, Centre for
\nStrategic and International Studies, Jakarta, and a lecturer of
\nthe International Relations Post Graduate Studies Program at the
\nSchool of Social and Political Sciences, the University of
\nIndonesia. He can be reached at bandoro@csis.or.id.<\/p>",
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