RI foreign policy a case of style over substance<\/p>\n
Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
If ever there was a time for Indonesia to have a banner year in
\nforeign affairs, it was 2005.<\/p>\n
All the elements were in place: A newly elected president who
\nemerged as a poster boy for emerging democracy; a leader who --
\ncompared to his bumbling and lumbering predecessors -- acted with
\nthe dignified flair becoming of a president in the international
\nspotlight; global sympathy in the wake of the tsunami; and
\ndomestic political stability unprecedented since the fall of
\nSoeharto in 1998.<\/p>\n
This arsenal of sympathy, democracy and stability was a
\npowerful tool for improving the international perception of
\nIndonesia as a responsible, dependable and resourceful actor in
\ninternational fora.<\/p>\n
But propriety will only get you so far in the global forum.
\nTalk is cheap and glossy veneers can be delusional.<\/p>\n
In the end, style can never replace substance.<\/p>\n
In all, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made at least seven
\nexcursions abroad, for bilateral or summit meetings, covering 14
\ncountries. That was some one-and-a-half months abroad.<\/p>\n
In almost all his foreign visits, the President was greeted
\nwith glowing praise. Finally, Indonesians had a president who
\nthey could be proud to parade around. Someone who could deliver
\nspeeches coherently and fluently in a foreign language, a man
\nwhose physical presence was undeniable in photo lineups with
\nregional leader. At last there was a leader to challenge
\nSingapore's Lee Hsien Loong in the height department.<\/p>\n
The President -- with the able assistance of the foreign
\nministry -- certainly won several foreign policy trophies through
\nhis diplomacy.<\/p>\n
Indonesia also hosted the Asian-African Summit and a post-
\ntsunami summit, along with several other high-level meetings.<\/p>\n
It put down its foot in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations) as it pushed forward the concept of enlarging the East
\nAsia Summit to include India and Australia, to the chagrin of
\nsummit host Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Several breakthroughs were also achieved, not least the
\nresumption of military ties with the United States.<\/p>\n
In many ways, it was a year of reassertion.<\/p>\n
Jakarta was once again showing the Javanese traits of a (sub)
\nregional leader -- it may be shy in admitting that it wants to
\nlead ASEAN, but gets upset when someone else tries to.<\/p>\n
Poor and full of pandemonium though the country may still have
\nbeen domestically, its coherent foreign policy was forcing the
\nregion to again take account of Indonesian wishes.<\/p>\n
Yes, 2005 was a year in which Indonesia staked its claim as
\nthe first among Southeast Asian equals.<\/p>\n
Susilo and the boys at Pejambon (the street where the foreign
\nministry is located) were doing all the old things right.<\/p>\n
Which thus begs the question: What about the new?<\/p>\n
What \"tangible\" indication was there that our rejuvenated
\nforeign policy consistently reflected the new dynamics of Asia's
\nnewest bastion of democracy?<\/p>\n
There was no shortage of high speeches and platitudes --
\ndiplomats and politicians are attuned to the fine art of empty
\npromises and deception -- but there was little \"unadulterated\"
\npolicy action which reflected what Indonesia is today.<\/p>\n
Pretentious though it may seem, it is only natural that this
\ncountry promote, defend and act to uphold the values which its
\npeople's have so painfully suffered for.<\/p>\n
Several years ago a young journalist in an article in this
\nnewspaper asked the question, \"Why has RI's foreign policy become
\nso foreign?\"<\/p>\n
That same query should again be raised given Jakarta's
\nconsistency in not being consistent with the nation's emerging
\nvalues.<\/p>\n
Persistently turning the other cheek, or providing face-saving
\nalternatives to Myanmar, it took international reproach before
\nIndonesia and ASEAN started to budge on its from its stance on
\nthe military regime there.<\/p>\n
Another case of style over substance is the fact that despite
\nall the standing ovations he received abroad -- and even hosting
\na special summit on investment -- the President's charm has not
\nsucceeded in wooing investors to this country.<\/p>\n
Of course, the burden should not all be placed on the
\nexecution of foreign policy. But it shows this inconsistency of
\npolicy implementation within the administration, and the
\nfallibility of exterior beauty.<\/p>\n
\"Attractive, but difficult,\" was the realistic assessment
\nof a prospective investor after standing to applaud Susilo during
\na speech abroad.<\/p>\n
Despite the long hours of brainstorming and stacks of papers
\nby officials at Pejambon, there has also been no realistic vision
\nof how Indonesia will place itself in Asia's evolving
\ngeostrategic balance. It seems to be neither here nor there.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it is too early to hedge bets, but based on the
\nPresident's statements there seems to be no clue about where the
\nthird largest country in Asia (Indonesia) will position itself
\nvis-a-vis China and India.<\/p>\n
\"In the middle\" would be the crude answer, but this is not a
\nsimple case of parking a car between a container truck and a
\nbulldozer.<\/p>\n
Both India and Indonesia have been reaching out more visibly
\nto each other this year, but what this signifies in the long run
\nwe dare to contend that not even the President knows.<\/p>\n
So a banner for Indonesia's foreign policy in 2005?
\n\"Definitely no, but it wasn't bad.\"<\/p>\n
A better 2006? \"Perhaps.\"<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-foreign-policy-a-case-of-style-over-substance-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }