RI as Australia's spreengboard into Asia<\/p>\n
By Jason Szep<\/p>\n
SYDNEY (Reuter): Putting aside historic fears of Indonesia's
\nmilitary and wrestling with its human rights record, Australia is
\nfast strengthening ties with its northern neighbor in what
\nexperts see as at the heart of its drive into Asia.<\/p>\n
Australia and Indonesia began two days of ministerial talks
\nyesterday aimed at defining the terms of their economic
\nrelationship for the next two years. The second such biennial
\nforum, it will hear recommendations on new trade, industry and
\ninvestment ties.<\/p>\n
The Canberra talks, however, are just one of many recent
\novertures which has seen Indonesia transformed in the eyes of
\ngovernment officials from Australia's biggest security threat in
\nAsia to its most important regional ally.<\/p>\n
"It's the only country in the region we have ever really been
\nafraid of," said David Reeve, historian and former Australian
\ndiplomat in Indonesia between 1961-71.<\/p>\n
"No one would ever think there might have been a possibility
\nof going to war with any of the others," said Reeve, currently an
\nIndonesian language professor at the University of New South
\nWales. "It was a country so different to everything Australian."<\/p>\n
Australia's relationship with Indonesia has seesawed for the
\npast decade, battered by a diplomatic standoff in 1986 following
\na critical article in a Sydney newspaper on the family business
\ninterests of President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
But such problems, according to Australian Prime Minister Paul
\nKeating, are a thing of the past.<\/p>\n
"No country is more important to Australia than Indonesia,"
\nKeating declared in a landmark speech in March. He called
\nSoeharto's government the single, most beneficial strategic
\ndevelopment for Australia in the past 30 years.<\/p>\n
Political analysts say the bond with Indonesia will become a
\nbenchmark for Australia's relations in Asia, testing its ability
\nto embrace the region as it shies away from historic ties with
\nEurope and the United States.<\/p>\n
They note that Indonesia has many traits shared by other
\ndeveloping Asian nations -- poverty, human rights abuses,
\nreligious diversity, civil strife, labor problems and a heavy
\nmilitary presence -- to which Australia must learn to adapt.<\/p>\n
"It's a litmus test," said Reeve. "If they mucked that one up,
\nthere wouldn't be much point with the other ones. It's a
\ntouchstone. A sort of compilation of all the issues."<\/p>\n
The issues are daunting. But with an economy growing at a real
\nrate of 6.7 percent a year since 1965, the world's fourth largest
\npopulation at 180 million and a middle class double Australia's,
\nIndonesia is seen as ripe for investment.<\/p>\n
"The government has taken to view Asia as a huge market and
\nIndonesia is the nearest and largest component of that aside from
\nChina," said Michael McKinley, associate professor of
\ninternational relations at Australian National University.<\/p>\n
A healthy relationship with Jakarta also gives Canberra
\nbacking in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),
\nwhich Keating wants to link with Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Soeharto is seen as one of the most influential leaders in
\nASEAN, which groups the fast-growing economies of Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Australia's economic drive into Indonesia has been strong and
\nswift. Two-way trade stood at A$3.03 billion (US$2.2 billion) in
\n1993 -- treble what it was five years ago. There are now 200
\nAustralian firms working in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Keating personally has spent more time in Indonesia than in
\nany other country since becoming prime minister in 1991, choosing
\nJakarta for his first overseas' visit as leader.<\/p>\n
Despite the rosy economics prospects, many Australians are
\nstill concerned about Indonesia's approach to human rights,
\nparticularly in East Timor, the former Portuguese colony which
\nwas integrated into Indonesia in 1975.<\/p>\n
In 1991, Indonesian troops opened fire on East Timorese
\ndemonstrators in the capital of Dili. Indonesia says 50 people
\ndied in Dili, although unofficial sources put a higher toll
\nnumber.<\/p>\n
But reservations among the general population have not stopped
\nthe Australian government from forging ahead with ties, inviting
\nIndonesia to take part in the military exercise Kangaroo '95, an
\noperation analysts say traditionally trains Australian troops for
\na battle with Indonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-as-australias-spreengboard-into-asia-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}