Australia-RI links must be enhanced: Taylor

Australia-RI links must be enhanced: Taylor

By Gedsiri Suhartono

JAKARTA (JP): When Ambassador Allan Robert Taylor took his
post here in April 1993, there were only four Australian media
representatives in Indonesia. Now there are seven, including the
Sydney Morning Herald.

Taylor said he believed journalist exchanges encourage the
people to people contact intended by the Australia Indonesia
Institute.

"The placing of seven Australian journalists as correspondents
here has ensured constant flow of reporting on Indonesia," he
said.

Taylor said he believed readers' knowledge of Indonesia has
been enhanced by their ability to contrast reports on Indonesia
when difficulties arise, an improvement to what many Indonesians
considered one-sided and biased reporting by the Australian
press.

The Ambassador emphasized the importance of increasing
awareness between both countries to prevent prejudices.

Two Indonesian journalists are currently stationed in
Australia,

Taylor, who heads home tomorrow, will carry with him images of
Indonesia's beautiful scenery gathered while traveling throughout
the archipelago. A sports enthusiast, Taylor tumbled down a
number of Indonesian rivers on white water rafting outings.

Commenting on the stronger relationship between the two
countries, Taylor said "the good things in the relationship of
the two countries would have happened without me."

Indonesian-Australian relations have recently hit their own
patches of white water.

The latest tension was Indonesia withdrawal of its Australian
ambassadorial candidate, Lt. Gen. (ret) H.B.L. Mantiri. The
retreat happened after the Australian public strongly objected to
his remarks on the 1991 incident in Dili, East Timor.

Taylor said that cultural and governmental exchanges had been,
and would continue to be, productive in learning to understand
the framework and system in which each country operates.

"It has been a very intense period of contact between
governments both at high as well as ministerial level," Taylor
said, citing five prime ministerial visits and at least 40
ministerial visits conducted during his term.

Much work, however, remains to be done to bridge and create
understanding between the people. Stereotypes, often outdated and
incorrect, still exist from both ends, Taylor observed.

"There are still Australians who see Indonesia as a threat
and, likewise, there are still Indonesians who think that
Australia is all farms," Taylor quipped.

The Australian government definitely does not see Indonesia as
a threat, Taylor assured. The signing of the Agreement on
Maintaining Security last December illustrates the trust, mutual
confidence and shared interests which constitute the bilateral
relationship, he added.

According to Taylor, each country's distinct identity should
be a source of strength in enhancing the relationship.

The emphasis should be put on building understanding between
people, which comes naturally with increased contact. Taylor
cited the various committees established following the 1992
Ministerial Forum, which focused on bureaucratic framework, as
examples of this contact.

Australia Today Indonesia 1994, a large trade and cultural
promotion, for example, presented Indonesian visitors with the
Australian way of living.

Taylor hopes more Australian students choose to study in
Indonesia. Currently 12,500 Indonesian students are enrolled in
Australian schools.

"It should not be just a one-way affair, the future of the
relationship depends very much on a recognition by both sides
that the relationship is to the mutual benefit," Taylor
contended.

The ambassador is being posted as head of the International
Division of the Department of Prime Minister and the Cabinet. He
will be stationed in Canberra.

After becoming a diplomat in 1966, Taylor was sent to
Rawalpindi in 1967. He has held positions in the Department of
Foreign Affairs' Executive Branch, Indonesia Section, the
Personal Branch, the Nuclear Policy Branch, and the Australia
Abroad Branch.

For the four years prior to becoming Australia's ambassador to
Indonesia, Taylor was the Australian High Commissioner to Papua
New Guinea.

Regarding the government formed in March, Taylor said that
generally the many policies that have fostered good ties will
remain.

"The new government has prioritized building the ties in the
Asia-Pacific region," Taylor said.

Earlier news report cited Miles Kupa, a former Australian
deputy foreign minister known to be a critic of President
Soeharto, as one of the three candidates proposed to replace
Taylor.

Taylor refused to comment on his replacement. Murray Cobran,
the embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission will serve as a charge d'
affairs until the position is filled.

Snugly fitting the ambassadorial prototype, Taylor also
successfully evaded comment on how proposed spending cuts will
affect the embassy's operations. A reduction in staff is
inevitable.

"We'll just have to wait and see," the ambassador told
reporters at the Australian embassy on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said.

According to the ambassador, the details and implementation of
the budget cuts won't be announced until August.

The Indonesian mission, the ambassador assured, will remain
Australia's second largest embassy after Washington, D.C. The
Australian embassy currently employs 75 Australian and 140
Indonesians.