RI's foreign policy outlook after the 2004 election

RI's foreign policy outlook after the 2004 election

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

People have now begun to discuss the issue of presidential
candidates, as the country continues to prepare for the first-
ever direct election in 2004. The election will be a turning
point in Indonesian politics because it allows, for the first
time, the public to cast a vote for someone who is ready to be
president and lead the nation. The election, as it has always
been, will be used by the contestants as a medium to introduce
their political program in order to convince the public of their
commitment to building democracy in the country.

The issue of the country's international relations is often
not a dominant one in the election -- it has been almost ignored
by contestants in their political programs. Defense and other
foreign policy issues are less important to voters than, for
example, the domestic economy, social security, education, law
enforcement, etc. The public and the contestants do not seem to
care about all these "international" things.

Perhaps it is time, if the bill on the direct presidential
election is approved by the legislature, for the presidential
candidates to express their thoughts on the future of our
international position and role. A candidates's ability to talk
openly, plainly and convincingly about foreign policy matters and
other Indonesian international affairs will help voters become
aware of the importance of our international interactions for the
resolution of our domestic problems.

Perhaps, for the foreign policy communities here, who will
lead Indonesia will be seen as important as the substance and
orientation of our future foreign policy. Definitely, there would
be differences in the way Nurcholish Madjid, Amien Rais or Hamzah
Haz, if they were to lead the country, executed the country's
foreign policy. Whoever leads the country, he or she must proceed
with the assumption that Indonesia is not yet totally freed from
multidimensional problems. Our foreign policy after the 2004
election should therefore still be designed and executed within
such a framework.

The current government has been trying its utmost to improve
the country's domestic situation and international image. But
Indonesia's international diplomacy maneuvers have, so far, been
of little significance to the solution of our domestic problems.
But this is not to deny that Indonesia has continued to maintain
the main tenets of our foreign policy, that is, an independent
and active foreign policy. This is unlikely to change, despite a
change in our national leadership.

No one can really predict what will become the most
influential issue in the external environment of Indonesia after
2004. However, a global fight against terrorism will still
definitely be on the international agenda. Indonesian policy on
this matter will not change. In the future, however, the
government will have to be even more active in initiating an
antiterrorism policy, but it has to be very cautious in its
policy implementation so as not to create the image that the
policy is being targeted toward certain domestic groups. However,
one must not accept the idea that the outlook of our foreign
policy is dominated by such trends.

As foreign policy is indeed an instrument to promote and
articulate our national interests abroad, our foreign policy
after the 2004 election must be built upon pragmatic, realistic
and rational thoughts. These should then be translated into a
foreign policy agenda that is oriented toward overcoming our
domestic problems. Thus, whoever becomes the next president, he
or she must understand the importance of international links for
the solution of our domestic problems.

Perhaps the most important matters to be included in our
foreign policy agenda are: (1) full restoration of economic
stability, (2) reduction in the tendency toward disintegration,
(3) the search for alternative external sources for our long-term
development, particularly when we are no longer part of the IMF
program, and (4) restoration of our international image.

Such an agenda should be able to accommodate the current and
future needs of our country and accommodate a variety of
interests. That is to say, the future foreign policy agenda must
be a reflection of a national commitment to tackle effectively
our domestic problems. But such a policy agenda would be
considered reliable, acceptable and qualitatively good only if it
were comprehensive in scope, realistic and modest in its
objectives and reflected the country's long-term needs.

What we need beyond 2004 is perhaps a stronger sense that what
happens inside the country, as well as in our immediate region,
affects our destiny too. Thus, our foreign policy beyond such
period is out to prove not only our political existence and
credibility in handling national and international problems, but
also our commitment to be continually part of international
collaboration in establishing a more secure and stable
international environment.

The most important responsibility our future leaders will
carry is the need to manage our foreign policy in such a way that
it leads to major changes, domestically and internationally. Such
changes must be geared at producing some sort of balance between
our commitment to fulfill our domestic needs and the imperative
to manage our external relations.

The best of Indonesia is yet to come. The economy is one
example. However, our foreign policy is not only about the
economy. Indonesian's foreign policy should convey the message
that we are doing our best to strike the balance between
democracy, respect for human rights and security.

A more proactive and well thought out foreign policy should be
initiated if Indonesia is to be seen as meaningful, both
strategically and politically, for the stability of its immediate
region and the globe. It is therefore imperative for our leaders
to make a new foreign policy breakthrough in such a way as to
help promote domestic political stability and strengthen our
international position. Therefore, the foreign policy of our next
government must be as adaptive as possible to the changed
external environment and unpredictable events.