Indonesia needs new concepts on foreign policy

Indonesia needs new concepts on foreign policy

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia must formulate new concepts in
managing its foreign policy to enable the country face the
growing challenges and trends in world politics and sustain an
active role world diplomacy, leading scholar Juwono Sudarsono
said on Saturday.

"In facing the challenges of the new world order, there has to
be strategic concepts," Juwono said during a seminar on
Indonesia's Foreign Policy in a New World Order

These concepts should cover the political, economic, social,
cultural and defense areas which are all aimed at safeguarding
national, regional and international stability, said the deputy
governor of the National Resilience Institute.

Such concepts would be necessary in maintaining the country's
"independent and active" foreign policy as it finds an increasing
role in world affairs, which Juwono noted had been accomplished
under the principal of "low profile" but "high performance."

The right kind of diplomacy could allay the concerns that have
been expressed over America's withdrawal from the region, the
increasing military projection in the region by China, Japan and
India, he said.

"Indonesian foreign policy should be oriented towards national
interest without ignoring the importance of Indonesia in
southeast Asia," he added.

The seminar on Saturday was organized by the Indonesian
Students Association for International Studies. A photo
exhibition depicting the history of Indonesian diplomacy dating
back to 1945 was simultaneously held at the IPMI Building.

Indonesia has been an active participant in various
multilateral groups and has committed to various diplomatic
efforts which have helped enhance security in the region.

Among the concerning trends facing Indonesia is the increasing
scrutiny other countries place on its domestic affairs.

"The linkage between foreign affairs and domestic matters will
become increasingly closer and unavoidable," Juwono said in his
written presentation at the seminar.

He warned that although Indonesia strongly rejects outside
interference in its domestic matters, such trends are difficult
to just simply disregard.

Apart from human rights, issues such as democratization and
environment protection have now come to the foreground in
international diplomacy.

Juwono said the universal nature of human rights principles
"could give the strong countries an opportunity to intervene" in
the domestic affairs of developing countries.

He noted how democracy is being pressed as an integral part of
the development process in developing countries, and was becoming
a new condition of foreign aid by donor countries.

Despite the preparation of various policies and concepts,
Juwono stressed that the best way to meet these challenges would
be through continued development and national resilience.

In human rights matters, for instance, "apart from improving
human rights practices, Indonesia must also enhance the existence
and function of human rights institutions along with its legal
instruments," he said.

Legislator Theo Sambuaga in his presentation at the seminar
underlined the importance of Indonesia continuing to play a
strong role in international affairs.

Theo said that although disputes such as in Bosnia-Herzegovina
and the Middle East may seem distant to Indonesians, if closely
examined, the root cause of international injustice is the very
cornerstone on which Indonesia's foreign policy is aimed at
fighting.

Theo contended that if conflicts were left unsettled they
would interfere in the state of international relations and
ultimately "trouble the implementation of our national
interests." (mds)