Indonesia-Australia security agreement

Indonesia-Australia security agreement

Australia's Prime Minister, Paul Keating, announced on Thursday that at the beginning of this week an Australian- Indonesian security agreement will be signed in Jakarta in the presence of government leaders, a number of cabinet ministers and the armed forces' chief commanders from both sides.

The signing of the treaty is a refreshing thought because during the past year relations between Indonesia and Australia have been frequently upset by information spread by parties who would not like to see relations bettered.

In the longer term this stepping up of defense cooperation efforts may be seen as an attempt to prevent open conflicts between the two countries.

The security agreement, as was clarified by Prime Minister Keating and Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono in Bangkok, cannot be regarded as a military or a defense pact. From the very beginning, true to the principles of non-alignment, Indonesia has refused to get involved in defense pacts.

Given that principle, other countries in the Southeast Asia and Pacific regions do not have to be afraid of any direct or indirect consequences arising from this security agreement. On the contrary, it should be viewed as a contribution of both Australia and Indonesia to the preservation of security and peace in those regions.

We hope this agreement will also be able to eliminate the suspicion which exists in certain sections of Australian society that Indonesia harbors expansionist ambitions. The stipulations contained in the agreement make it clear that both parties will maintain an open attitude with regard to each other's security concerns.

Seen from this point of view the agreement could be regarded as part of the confidence building efforts on both sides. Let us therefore view the agreement as a measure designed to bolster the intent on both parts to strengthen friendly relations.

-- Republika, Indonesia