Fri, 17 Sep 1999

Indonesia scraps security pact with Australia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia canceled on Wednesday a landmark 1995 agreement with Australia on security cooperation as the row between the two countries over East Timor reached new highs.

"We deeply regret Australia's attitude, which has undermined bilateral relations as indicated by its decision to stop military cooperation and assistance, and to review the security cooperation arrangements," Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs and acting foreign minister Feisal Tanjung said in a media briefing.

"The Republic of Indonesia has noted that the attitude and the actions of Australia with regard to East Timor does not help keep the bilateral relationship based on the mutual respect of sovereignty, national integrity and the principle of not interfering in each other's affairs," Feisal said.

Feisal said Australia's attitude was no longer consistent with the letter and the spirit of the 1995 agreement.

The security pact stipulates that Indonesia and Australia will consult about matters affecting their common security and develop cooperation on security matters.

The agreement also contains provisions whereby the two countries would consult each other in the case of adverse challenges to either party, or to their common security interests, and, if appropriate, consider measures which might be taken both unilaterally or bilaterally.

The move came one day after the United Nations named Australia to head the multinational peacekeeping force in East Timor in spite of Indonesia's objection.

Australia, once a staunch supporter of Indonesia's rule in East Timor, had become its harshest critic. Canberra followed Washington last week in reviewing all military ties with Jakarta.

Nugroho Wisnumurti, Director General for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the government's decision to suspend the security cooperation agreement was in answer to the "Australian one-sided recent decision to freeze the technical military cooperation with Indonesia".

He ruled out the possibility of the diplomatic row escalating.

"We don't intend to take further steps that might worsen our relations (with Australia), but this is up to the Australian side," Nugroho said in the media briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Separately, Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi described the decision as an expression of displeasure against the attitude of the Australian government.

"Australia is not friendly in its actions (on East Timor). This has become a problem," Muladi said after meeting with President B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace.

Habibie's adviser on foreign affairs, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, disclosed on Thursday that the President was also personally disappointed at Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

According to Dewi, Habibie told a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he had decided not to receive telephone calls from the prime minister because the latter often leaked their conversations to the public for his own political interests.

"John Howard has misused our close friendship," Habibie complained, as quoted by Dewi in a radio talk show on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Australian Defense Minister John Moore said the decision to sever the security cooperation agreement meant some elements of the Indonesian Military in the territory might not be "very cooperative" with the multinational peacekeeping force which Australia will lead.

"I see it as a sign that they will probably not be very cooperative, the TNI, yes of course, but by 'not cooperative' I don't mean aggressive," Moore told reporters in Canberra. (prb/rms)