Security agreement gives new dimension to RI-Australia links<\/p>\n
By Richard Breeze<\/p>\n
SYDNEY (AFP): The surprise announcement yesterday of a
\nsecurity agreement with Indonesia gives Australia's relationship
\nwith its neighbor a new strategic dimension, analysts said.<\/p>\n
It capped a week of Asian policy initiatives by Prime Minister
\nPaul Keating.<\/p>\n
Senior Australian government officials hailed the agreement --
\nthe first which non-aligned Indonesia has signed with another
\ncountry -- as one of the most significant Australian diplomatic
\ndevelopments in the past 25 years.<\/p>\n
\"It's a major step in Australia's relationship with Indonesia
\nand also in regional policy,\" Michael McKinley of the Australian
\nNational University told AFP.<\/p>\n
The accord, which has treaty status, was first discussed with
\nIndonesia's President Soeharto in 1994, Keating said, and sealed
\nby the two leaders at the APEC meeting in Tokyo last month.<\/p>\n
Peter Gration, a general who was a two-term Australian defense
\nforce chief, was Keating's go-between in the 18 months of secret
\nnegotiations.<\/p>\n
\"It was a total surprise to everyone,\" said McKinley.<\/p>\n
The agreement commits the two countries to consult each other
\nwhen either or both is adversely challenged and to consider joint
\nresponses, to promote security co-operation and to establish
\nministerial consultations over common security interests, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We are more than neighbors, (now) we are defense partners,\"
\nsaid Carlyle Thayer of the Australian Defense Force Academy.<\/p>\n
Keating said the agreement would not cut across Australia's
\ncommitments under the ANZUS pact, the security treaty between
\nAustralia, New Zealand and the U.S., or the 1971 Five Power
\nDefense Arrangements linking Australia with Malaysia, Singapore,
\nBritain and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
McKinley saw these arrangements as the \"residue of the Cold
\nWar\" period.<\/p>\n
With this agreement, Australia and Indonesia seemed to be
\nseeking \"to establish a loose balance of power framework\" in the
\nAsia-Pacific region, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The agreement was \"about building a structure for the future
\nof Australia, to reduce uncertainties over the next 10 or 20
\nyears, and with it Indonesia is offering us the opportunity to
\nshape the region,\" Keating said.<\/p>\n
In the event of any joint response, Australia's naval and air
\nforces would lend high-tech muscle to Indonesian efforts,
\nMcKinley said.<\/p>\n
In the air, Australia has F111 long-range strike aircraft and
\nFA-18 Hornet fighters. The navy has six frigates and today
\nlaunches the second of its six planned Collins Class submarines.<\/p>\n
These 78-meter (257 foot) Swedish-designed boats are the most
\nsophisticated conventional submarines.<\/p>\n
Current defense cooperation sees naval vessels conducting
\nexercises, Indonesian forces joining war games in Australia, FA-
\n18s visiting Indonesian air bases, and exchanges of high-ranking
\nvisits.<\/p>\n
Australia's elite Special Air Service regiment has trained
\nwith Indonesia's Kopassus special forces.<\/p>\n
In presenting a defense blueprint in November, Defense
\nMinister Robert Ray said that while no country had the capability
\nto seize and hold Australian territory, capabilities to mount
\nlesser levels of attack would grow in the next 15 years.<\/p>\n
\"... Our security will be enhanced by closer strategic
\nengagement,\" with Asia said Ray, prefiguring yesterday's
\nagreement.<\/p>\n
\"We will strengthen our bilateral defense relationships, and
\nactively pursue multilateral approaches to security in the
\nregion,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Government officials said Malaysia was advised about the
\ntreaty after Keating's announcement, while the United States was
\ninformed Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Keating said Wednesday he will visit Malaysia on Jan. 15 and
\n16 -- the first such state visit there by an Australian prime
\nminister for almost 14 years -- and will also make a short visit
\nto Singapore.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian trip is widely seen as an attempt to cement
\nrecent improvements in the often stormy bilateral relationship.
\nBut it is also hoped that it will sew up a two billion dollar
\n(US$1.5 million) contract for an Australian firm to build six
\npatrol vessels for the Malaysian navy.<\/p>",
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