Ambassador Taylor ends term on high note

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

JAKARTA (JP): When former Australian Ambassador Allan Taylor left Jakarta last week, he departed with a sense of confidence of having helped build a relationship between two neighbors which should be strong enough to withstand future political controversies.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post prior to his departure, Taylor said the highlights of his posting relate to the developments that have taken place during his tenure here.

"There have been increases in the breadth and depth of the relations. We've had so many things going on between the two countries that embassies can't keep in touch with it".

"And that's how it should be. That's one of the most rewarding things for me," he said.

One clear indication of the new-found sense and confidence and ease the two countries have with each other is the Security Agreement signed in December 1995.

"It was an important development in the overall architecture of security in the region, and so I see that as very much a highlight of my posting," Taylor said.

Taylor served as ambassador of Australia's second largest embassy for three and a half years. A career diplomat, he went through the ranks of the diplomatic corps, on the way being posted to Thailand, Nigeria and New Zealand.

His posting here was the second assignment to Indonesia after first serving here some 20 years ago.

Taylor will be succeeded by John McCarthy, former ambassador to Washington.

While relations between Jakarta and Canberra have generally been cordial, they have been plagued by constant irritants and it is only in the last few years that things have blossomed.

Taylor expressed belief that he is ending his tenure as ambassador at a juncture where the state of the relations is at one of its finest points.

Taylor pointed to the work of Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas and his Australian counterpart Gareth Evans, who laid the groundwork in the late 1980s for a broad and deep relationship which will not fracture the overall balance of ties.

"So that any political differences we have -- and I expect we will have them from time to time given our differences in traditions and cultures and also we're neighbors and the relationship is very intense -- can be handled without upsetting the on-going and important people-to-people contacts that go on."

It is the two countries geographical proximity that led to so many mutual misperceptions which may have contributed to the irritations which often occurred in the past.

In the mid 1980s Australian media criticism of Indonesian leaders was played up here as direct attacks on the nation, while a lack of understanding of the Indonesian political system led to public comments in Australia often unhelpful to creating trusting ties.

Taylor emphasized the need to establish strong people-to- people contacts to combat any regression towards mistrust between the two nations. For him it appears as an essential component in the framework of building mutual confidence.

Taylor advocates educational exchanges and media contact as a vehicle for better understanding.

"I would like to see a lot more educational exchanges. I'd like to see Australians having the opportunity to do part of their degrees up here, and I think this will come in time. That's just one example of the way in which we're developing this mutual understanding, which we have to have if we're going to avoid having an up and down relationship," he argued.

The presence of an increasing number of Australian journalists reporting on a day-to-day basis here is also an important factor in what he describes as allowing Australians to receive reports and developments in the proper background from people with a solid background on conditions in Indonesia.

Despite the fact that Canberra recognizes the integration of East Timor as part of Indonesia, Australia is also noted as one of Indonesia's strongest critics of alleged abuses in the province and human rights violations across the country.

When pressed on the question of Canberra's pursuit of these sensitive issues and the possibility of them becoming an increasingly explosive element in the relationship, Taylor balked and maintained that it is not the core factor of ties between the two neighbors.

"I think if you look at statements by the previous (Australian) and current governments you'll see a consistency that the Australian government does not want issues such as East Timor or human rights to dominate the relationship," he said.

Taylor maintained that it was just one component of the larger bond of ties. "They are seen as part of, and in the context of the overall relationship. They are important but they are not going to dominate the relationship, and we seek to pursue those issues with the Indonesian government quietly without, as (foreign minister) Mr. Downer said, `shouting from the rooftops'".

He said that despite the increasing censure on East Timor by the international community, "the Australian government has made it clear it won't change its position on East Timor."

During the tenure of Prime Minister Paul Keating, Australia openly courted its Asian neighbors and sought to have the closest relationships possible.

Indonesia was often unbashfully called by Keating as the most important nation to Australia. With the ascendancy of a new government under John Howard this year, the label as most important has been rephrased as "of fundamental importance".

In an effort to curb its domestic budgetary problems, the Howard government also began massive cuts of foreign aid programs, a move which affected many Asian countries and sparked questions on Canberra's commitment to the region.

Taylor maintained the cut backs were merely a "change of approach" and the Asia-Pacific is still "the first priority".

He pointed out that aid to Indonesia this year alone stood at A$108 million (US$80 million), the second largest recipient after Papua New Guinea.

The budget cuts have also affected the embassy staff here.

Nevertheless Taylor says it is still able to accomplish its task.

"Of course if you reduce numbers you reduce what the embassy can do, but the embassy is operating very effectively," he remarked.

Demonstrating the increasing importance of Jakarta as a post, Taylor pointed out that during his tenure here the Australian- based staff has actually increased by about 20 percent.

There are currently 73 Australian-based and about 150 local staff working at the embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Looking ahead, Taylor acknowledged that economic relations are quickly becoming the primary engine in the relationship, evident in the increasing commercial and trade areas tackled by the embassy.

He added that both sides have also probably realized that the despite the personal dynamics occurring in the political realm of each respective country, it would be in the best interest of both sides to follow-up on the good work that has been accomplished so far.