Ambassador Taylor ends term on high note

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.