New diplomatic challenges await next government

New diplomatic challenges await next government

Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, The Indonesian Quarterly
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Jakarta, bandoro@csis.or.id

Many here are quite skeptical the general election will
guarantee better domestic political, economic, social and
security conditions. Such skepticism is based mainly on the poor
performance of the current regime with regard to the management
of national issues.

Several presidential candidates have promised to bring the
country to the stage where people will see a working, new-look
Indonesia.

We will not have a new government until later in October. And
this new government, regardless of its political ideology, will
definitely have to face new challenges -- both domestic and
international.

Political parties have touched on the issues of the economy,
social security, education, law enforcement and the eradication
of corruption more often than the issue of defense and foreign
policy, assuming an international focus would not help them win
the people's hearts. They go on selling their "domestic
products", without realizing public support is also important for
our international relations and standing.

Perhaps it is time for our presidential candidates to express,
especially during their campaigns, their thoughts on the future
of our international role. A candidates's ability to talk openly,
plainly and convincingly about foreign policy and other
Indonesian-related international affairs will help voters
understand better how important it is for Indonesia to maintain
international links, both for the sake of our economic recovery
and to support our new regime.

It is within such a context we need to understand the massive
diplomatic and other international challenges the new government
is about to face. The world is experiencing a transformation of
human civilization and rapidly progressing towards a new order
based on shared values of democracy, human rights and liberal
market economics. All this is especially true after the invasion
of Iraq.

With the increasing complexity of international relations and
the problems we might face, it is likely our next government will
be at a watershed -- it must change a great deal managing our
international relations, both from within and externally.

The president-elect is likely to bring new leaders into office
and this could set into motion processes that bring changes in
policy. These new leaders and personnel will bring with them new
expectations about the country's international role and position.
These new policies, if they prove useful, will have to take into
account the current trends in world politics.

The new regime must obviously possess legitimacy but this
alone is not sufficient. Support from the international community
to the new regime is as important as the implementation and the
substance of its new policy.

Once the new cabinet is officiated, the immediate policy steps
it initiates must assure the international community of its
commitment to principles of good governance and to continuing
stability and security in Southeast Asia.

Our presidential election will take place at a time when our
multilateralism has been strengthened and is the norm in
contemporary international relations. So, in conducting
international diplomacy, our next government will have to look
for every possibility offered by multilateralism to promote our
new national and global interests.

What must not change is our commitment to be continually part
of international collaboration in establishing a more secure and
stable global environment -- not of course at the expense of our
basic national interest.

This is, however, not to suggest the insignificance of
bilateral forums for promoting this interest. A two-pronged
strategy, either through multi or bilateral mechanisms, must be
employed if the next government is to secure the gains it has
already obtained from being part of international diplomacy.

Through such a diplomatic mechanism, the new government needs
to manage its foreign policy in such a way that it leads to the
solution of our ongoing domestic problems as well as to major
changes in our international position.

The new government will have consider if its new strategies
produce a balance between the nation's commitment to fill its
domestic needs and the imperative to manage the country's
international relations.

In the myriad of diplomatic challenges the new government will
have to face, it is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that will be
at the forefront in managing such challenges. This office must be
ready to readjust and, if necessary, change its outlook so as to
adapt to the changed domestic and international environment.

There must be a consensus, however, that peace, stability and
prosperity at home depend largely on developments outside and we
must influence those developments by mobilizing whatever
resources are available.

New national policies are doomed to failure if they are not
part of an overall solution. Remedies for problems in certain
policy areas, therefore, can only be sought in an international
framework. This is where Indonesia will face some of its biggest
challenges.

The writer is also a lecturer for the International Relations,
Post Graduate Studies Program at the School of Political and
Social Sciences in the University of Indonesia, Jakarta.