Keating prefers dialog path to rights solution<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Australia will not adopt a foreign policy of
\nshunning its neighbors in an effort to advance human rights in
\nthe region, but will follow a path of dialog and confidence
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating strongly advocated this
\napproach in Brisbane on Wednesday during a speech in which he
\nargued that confrontational tactics were less effective than
\ndiplomatic dialog.<\/p>\n
\"We will get much further in advancing human rights by talking
\nto our neighbors than by shunning them,\" Keating said while
\naddressing the Asia-Australia Institute.<\/p>\n
He contended that Australia's approach of making human rights
\npart of a broad based relationship would be more fruitful and
\nallow a free and open discussion about each nation's individual
\ndifferences.<\/p>\n
Keating said Australia's neighbors often subscribe to a
\ndifferent standards in their application of human rights.<\/p>\n
He explained that the variables may arise out of the many
\nlevels of political and economic development, or could come from
\nthe belief that the good of society at large is more important
\nthan the rights of the individual.<\/p>\n
However, Keating acknowledged that sometimes there was an
\nobvious abuse of human rights, which is a drawback by any
\nstandards.<\/p>\n
\"Picking our way through this moral thicket is one of the most
\ndifficult things we have to do,\" he said in a speech obtained by
\nThe Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Despite adopting a softer approach to the human rights issue,
\nKeating directed stern words at doubters questioning Australia's
\ncommitment to this issue.<\/p>\n
\"This sense of human rights is intrinsic in our sense of
\nourselves,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
The prime minister noted that there can be no argument
\nwhatsoever on accepting the universality of human rights, but the
\ndifficult task is \"deciding how to apply our own beliefs in the
\ninternational arena.\"<\/p>\n
The government of Paul Keating has often come under severe
\ncriticism both at home and from non-governmental organizations
\n(NGOs) abroad for his lax approach in dealing with alleged human
\nrights abuses to by his neighbors to the north.<\/p>\n
Condemned<\/p>\n
Many have condemned Keating's approach as sacrificing human
\nrights for the sake of Australia's commercial and security ties
\nwith his Asian neighbors.<\/p>\n
Though Keating did not identify specific countries in his
\ndiscussion of human rights, he did make it a point of mentioning
\nthe importance of Indonesia to his country.<\/p>\n
\"In Southeast Asia, our core relationship is with Indonesia.
\nAs I have said many times, no country is more important to us,\"
\nKeating said while expressing his satisfaction at the broadening
\nof relations in the past couple of years.<\/p>\n
The prime minister further touted relations between the two
\ncountries when he said, \"neither Australia nor Indonesia has
\ndesigns on the other and our strategic interests in the broader
\nregion are similar.\" (mds)<\/p>",
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