~Susilo and U.S. ties<\/p>\n
Though Indonesian lay opinion of the United States remains
\nhostile, relations at government level are at their most stable
\nafter a dizzy run of four presidents following Soeharto's fall.
\nThis is evident in the good vibes President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono is receiving on his Washington visit. The U.S.
\nmilitary's humanitarian contributions in Sumatra after the
\ntsunami struck last year brought a definitive change in Jakarta's
\nattitudes. But it has mainly been Susilo's attempts at
\naccountable governance and professionalising of the military that
\nhave made Washington reassess an important relationship. This
\nlinkage is central to Southeast Asia's cohesiveness.<\/p>\n
As the region's security depends on a coordinated approach
\nagainst organised terror and better logistics and firepower in
\nkeeping the Malacca Strait safe for global commerce, U.S.
\nwillingness to resume full military collaboration with Indonesia
\nis a necessary step.<\/p>\n
Susilo received only an undertaking from his host, President
\nGeorge W. Bush, that full restoration and weapons sales will
\nresume upon certain investigations being concluded. The U.S. can
\nbe less rigid here. A judicial accounting done to its
\nsatisfaction cannot be assured, partly for political reasons and
\npartly cultural. If Jakarta is showing earnestness in purging the
\nmilitary of wrong-headed ideologies, the U.S. should be looking
\nat the larger picture of strengthening Indonesian capability to
\nadvance the region's stability.<\/p>\n
For all its energy wealth, Indonesia has become a net oil
\nimporter. A revitalised energy sector feeding on foreign money
\nand technology is a large part of his programme to create jobs
\nand raise incomes. It remains for his government to show U.S.
\ncongressional doubters and businessmen that legal safeguards and
\nthe anti-corruption drive are sufficiently conducive to foreign
\nfunds. On balance, his growing cosiness with the U.S. will come
\nat some risk to his support base. But opposition can be muted if
\nhe gets his investment strategies right. It will benefit the U.S.
\nto help this president achieve his social goals.
\n-- The Straits Times, Singapore<\/p>\n
New petroleum pipelines and the world's energy problems<\/p>\n
The formal opening today of the US$4 billion pipeline to carry
\noil more than 1,000 miles from the Caspian to the Mediterranean
\nis a triumph of Western engineering, a strategic coup in the
\ncompetition with Russia for influence in its former republics and
\na tribute to the acumen of BP, which holds the principal stake in
\nthe international consortium. This "project of the century",
\nwhich will eventually be linked to the huge Kazakh oilfields in
\nCentral Asia, has been built, on time and within budget, in the
\nface of strong opposition from Moscow. It is crucial in lessening
\nWestern dependence on oil from the Middle East. And it is an
\nimpressive demonstration of technology given that the pipeline
\ntraverses some of the roughest topography, political as well as
\nphysical, in the world.<\/p>\n
It would be unwise, however, to conclude that the pipeline has
\nsecured the West's energy future. Despite the vast proven
\nresources of the Caspian and Central Asia, the world's thirst for
\noil is growing at an exponential rate. The West, therefore,
\nshould use the time it has bought and its superior technology to
\ninvest seriously, and on a massive scale, into alternative energy
\nsources. This does not simply mean building more unsightly
\nwindfarms and waxing lyrical about wave power. Far more important
\nis the search for an alternative to the internal combustion
\nengine, the biggest consumer of petrol and one of the biggest
\nsources of carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
At last, the signs are that Western governments and industry
\nare committing themselves seriously to an old idea whose time,
\nthanks to technological breakthroughs, may soon come: the
\nhydrogen fuel cell. Since October, General Motors and Toyota,
\nboth leaders in research, have been holding talks about a joint
\nfactory to produce hydrogen-powered cars, which would speed up
\nadoption of this environment-friendly technology.<\/p>\n
It will take the combined resources and commitment of Western
\ngovernments, big business and Japanese research to make fuel
\ncells a reality. Their energies should be released now. The new
\npipeline shows what international co-operation can achieve, but
\nthis is merely a petrol station en route to energy security.
\n-- The Times, London<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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