RI-Australia relations ties solidifying
RI-Australia relations ties solidifying
Following is an excerpt from a paper presented by former minister of defense and security Gen. (ret.) L.B. Moerdani at a conference hosted by the Australian Defense Studies Center last month in Canberra. This is the first of two installments.
CANBERRA: The broadening and deepening of the defense relationship between Indonesia and Australia is perhaps a foregone conclusion, certain to happen within the next fifteen years. The speed and modality by which this will occur will be affected by a number of factors and developments.
I will discuss some of these factors by specifically addressing myself to the questions that have been given to me by the Australian Defense Studies Center.
On the question of the appropriate speed for implementing closer defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, I am of the opinion that by necessity this will be gradual. There is no need to hasten the process. It will involve both the broadening and deepening of cooperation, with preference on the Indonesian side to first focusing on the latter task.
As suggested above, the prospects for closer Indonesia- Australia defense cooperation are good. As our strategic outlooks converge we may soon realize that our capabilities also have become more complementary. This enhances the scope for cooperation. As suggested in the Defense White Paper, this already has led to a more diversified relationship; one that goes beyond the traditional defense cooperation programs to involve strategic exchanges, combined exercises, logistics agreements, science and industry cooperation, cooperative equipment acquisition and training cooperation. Intelligence cooperation is also an important aspect of our relationship.
Essentially, the bilateral defense relationship between Indonesia and Australia should be seen as an integral part of the overall, wider bilateral relationship between Australia and Indonesia. Close defense cooperation will strengthen the relationship, and a stronger overall bilateral relationship will further promote defense links.
It has been said that Indonesia and Australia are "strange neighbors". Their geographic proximity makes them very much visible and actions taken by the one immediately affect the other. Since each side knows relatively little about the other, a great deal of irritations have burdened this relationship.
Some years ago there was a determination on both sides to change this. We both agreed to do something to overcome those problems and to strengthen our relations. Although Indonesia- Australia relations cannot be taken for granted, I believe that we have come a long way.
I would rather leave it to historians or other researchers to identify the main factors that led our two governments to agree to end that volatile relationship. As someone who was in the Indonesian government at that time I have my own interpretation of this episode. I believe that a number of factors were important.
Back in the mid-1980s we did not know that the Cold War was approaching its final days. However, there was a strong recognition that Indonesia and other ASEAN countries needed to seriously begin laying down the foundation for the establishment of a regional order in Southeast Asia. There was the uncertainty about future U.S. security commitments to the region and there was also concern with the future roles of Japan and China in the region.
The concept of a regional order in Southeast Asia is a very simple, straightforward concept. Its objective is regional peace and stability, whose maintenance is the responsibility of the regional countries themselves. However, since outside powers have a legitimate interest and role in the region, it is in the interest of the regional countries to develop relations with them that further strengthen the regional order.
It is definitely not an "inward-looking" concept. It is very well recognized, however, that the main prerequisite to the creation of this regional order is the ability of the regional countries to keep their own houses in order.
ASEAN's active involvement in resolving the Cambodian conflict through peaceful means is based on this determination. Its efforts are "outward oriented" and it actively has sought the participation of the international community. Australia was among the few countries that showed a sustained interest in helping resolve the conflict.
Regional order is also not a concept that ignores developments outside its own region. In fact, it is interested in developing healthy and strong relations also with countries in its immediate neighborhood. This is dictated by the requirements to maintain regional peace and stability. The wisdom is that your neighbors are important. Australia is important to Indonesia because Australia is Indonesia's immediate neighbor to the south.
It is interesting to note that with regard to many regional economic, political and security issues and assessments, the views from Jakarta and Canberra are often closer than between Jakarta and Tokyo or between Canberra and Washington. It appears to me that in our efforts to organize the Asia- Pacific region we share a common philosophy or strategy. Indonesia and Australia can further promote and strengthen their relations through the various newly emerging regional forums. However, they are not a substitute for a healthy and strong bilateral relationship, including in the field of defense.
The question of whether Australia tends to be pushing too fast in implementing closer defense cooperation does not appear to be of relevance here as no timetable has been set. What is important here is the development of a meaningful mechanism for regular consultations through which various cooperation programs are thoughtfully submitted, discussed and agreed upon. The annual meetings of the respective Defense Ministers is one such important mechanism.
As described above, Australia-Indonesia bilateral defense cooperation should also be seen in the wider regional context as it will be influenced by ASEAN's defense cooperation and Australia's relations with ASEAN. On the question of how close Australia can get to ASEAN, the answer is "quite close".
As an ASEAN dialog partner and a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and because of its geographic location, Australia can become a member of one of ASEAN's inner circle of cooperation if it accepts ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) through a declaration or protocol, even without acceding to it. However, as Australia is not a member of the Southeast Asian community of nations it may not become a member of ASEAN's most inner circle. It is also not obvious why this should be desirable for Australia.
There are two aspects of the issue of perceived threats between Australia and ASEAN. First, it is perhaps no longer relevant to talk about threat and the need to have a common perception of threat as a basis for defense cooperation.
The 1994 Defense White Paper also is not derived from a defined threat -- "the potential enemy". Equally, ASEAN defense cooperation is not based on a common perception of threat.
Second, the major aim of defense cooperation today, as implicitly contained in the concepts of comprehensive security, cooperative security and collective security, is confidence building and developing a sense of community. The ASEAN strategy of concentric circles proposes the need to include the very sources of uncertainty to one's own security within the extended circle of cooperation. This distinguishes defense cooperation today from the formation of military pacts and alliances during the Cold War.