Indonesia scraps security pact with Australia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia canceled on Wednesday a landmark 1995
\nagreement with Australia on security cooperation as the row
\nbetween the two countries over East Timor reached new highs.<\/p>\n
\"We deeply regret Australia's attitude, which has undermined
\nbilateral relations as indicated by its decision to stop military
\ncooperation and assistance, and to review the security
\ncooperation arrangements,\" Coordinating Minister for Political
\nand Security Affairs and acting foreign minister Feisal Tanjung
\nsaid in a media briefing.<\/p>\n
\"The Republic of Indonesia has noted that the attitude and the
\nactions of Australia with regard to East Timor does not help keep
\nthe bilateral relationship based on the mutual respect of
\nsovereignty, national integrity and the principle of not
\ninterfering in each other's affairs,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Feisal said Australia's attitude was no longer consistent with
\nthe letter and the spirit of the 1995 agreement.<\/p>\n
The security pact stipulates that Indonesia and Australia will
\nconsult about matters affecting their common security and develop
\ncooperation on security matters.<\/p>\n
The agreement also contains provisions whereby the two
\ncountries would consult each other in the case of adverse
\nchallenges to either party, or to their common security
\ninterests, and, if appropriate, consider measures which might be
\ntaken both unilaterally or bilaterally.<\/p>\n
The move came one day after the United Nations named Australia
\nto head the multinational peacekeeping force in East Timor in
\nspite of Indonesia's objection.<\/p>\n
Australia, once a staunch supporter of Indonesia's rule in
\nEast Timor, had become its harshest critic. Canberra followed
\nWashington last week in reviewing all military ties with Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Nugroho Wisnumurti, Director General for Political Affairs at
\nthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the government's decision
\nto suspend the security cooperation agreement was in answer to
\nthe \"Australian one-sided recent decision to freeze the technical
\nmilitary cooperation with Indonesia\".<\/p>\n
He ruled out the possibility of the diplomatic row escalating.<\/p>\n
\"We don't intend to take further steps that might worsen our
\nrelations (with Australia), but this is up to the Australian
\nside,\" Nugroho said in the media briefing held at the Ministry of
\nForeign Affairs.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Justice\/State Secretary Muladi
\ndescribed the decision as an expression of displeasure against
\nthe attitude of the Australian government.<\/p>\n
\"Australia is not friendly in its actions (on East Timor).
\nThis has become a problem,\" Muladi said after meeting with
\nPresident B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Habibie's adviser on foreign affairs, Dewi Fortuna Anwar,
\ndisclosed on Thursday that the President was also personally
\ndisappointed at Australian Prime Minister John Howard.<\/p>\n
According to Dewi, Habibie told a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday
\nthat he had decided not to receive telephone calls from the prime
\nminister because the latter often leaked their conversations to
\nthe public for his own political interests.<\/p>\n
\"John Howard has misused our close friendship,\" Habibie
\ncomplained, as quoted by Dewi in a radio talk show on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Australian Defense Minister John Moore said the
\ndecision to sever the security cooperation agreement meant some
\nelements of the Indonesian Military in the territory might not be
\n\"very cooperative\" with the multinational peacekeeping force
\nwhich Australia will lead.<\/p>\n
\"I see it as a sign that they will probably not be very
\ncooperative, the TNI, yes of course, but by 'not cooperative' I
\ndon't mean aggressive,\" Moore told reporters in Canberra.
\n(prb\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-scraps-security-pact-with-australia-1447893297",
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