RI's strives to regain role as regional pillar

RI's strives to regain role as regional pillar

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

The word "pillar", to some, evokes the scene of Samson
standing between two huge pillars of a great building, with a
hand on each pillar. He pushes the pillars with all his might
until he causes them to collapse, killing himself. The word
"pillar" brings to mind something of great strength that stands
upright and holds an important structure in place.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in her progress report at
the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly, was
perhaps envisioning or mapping out the future of Southeast Asia
when she introduced a new "pillar" for the region. The President
vowed to restore Indonesia's international stature by
consistently adhering to a free and active foreign policy in
dealing with its neighbors, foreign states and other regional
political and security issues.

Megawati hopes the pillar will serve to anchor Indonesia's
regional role, as well as regional stability and security.
Megawati stated that she wanted Indonesia to be a leader in the
Southeast Asian region and to be able to strike a balance between
economic development and the enhancement of its infrastructure.

Megawati has indicated that the new "pillar" will be
established as regards the institutions and procedures that
mainly deal with conflict resolution in security and political
affairs. The quest for a new pillar not only implies that
Indonesia, after being severely hit by the economic crisis in
1997, has to regain its international standing by taking fresh
international initiatives, but that countries in the region also
need to step up regional cooperation and support the key role of
ASEAN as a whole as a driving force within the present structure
of the Southeast Asian region.

It is appropriate that the concept of a new pillar is
introduced as Indonesia and the region are now facing the reality
that security problems have extended beyond the classical geo-
strategical issues. Security had become more complex and diffused
due to very quick changes in the economy and technology, which
heavily impact on the security and stability of a given region
and state. A sense of a diffused and global threat has prevailed.

With the introduction of the "new pillar" by Indonesia, the
country is politically and strategically committed to developing
some kind of long-term insurance for the security and stability
of the whole region. The logical consequence is that Indonesia
would have to mobilize whatever national resources it has to make
sure that the region is of great significance, for the country's
long-term foreign policy objectives. This is a tremendous
challenges for our international diplomacy as we attempt to bring
peace and stability to our region.

If Megawati was referring to something that would strengthen
the present regional mechanisms, such as the Bali Concord and
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, and help
to promote and anchor Indonesia's quest for regional leadership,
then the pillars should serve to achieve long-term objectives at
the national and regional levels. The objectives on one level
should not be seen in isolation from other objectives, meaning
that interdependence should determine the accomplishment of the
objectives at both levels.

If the new pillar is to serve the long-term objectives of our
foreign policy and leadership role, then it would have to appear
in the following forms: First, understanding and recognizing the
growing importance of regional mechanisms and dialog for the
advancement of our foreign policy priorities.

Here we must take a long-term view in the form of a White
Paper that sets out our thinking about foreign policy and its
approaches toward regional trends.

Second, developing our capability to capitalize on regional
resources in such a way that would help sustain and expand our
regional diplomacy.

Third, utilize regional mechanisms as a source of support for
our foreign policy planning and decision making. And fourth,
constructing and reorienting the focus of regional organization
and cooperation to meet long-term domestic and international
demands.

The above forms are likely to sustain and strategically ensure
a strong basis to advance our strategic goals, only if they
continually seek closer engagement with Southeast Asia in
particular and the Asia Pacific in general. But this is possible
only if Indonesia is able to maintain domestic stability.
President Megawati stressed that cordial relationships with
countries in Southeast Asia would continue to be the cornerstone
of the country's foreign policy.

Indonesia is inextricably linked with Southeast Asia for the
long term, which is why a new "pillar" is perhaps necessary for
this region. It is here that some of the greatest challenges
remain, and it is in this part of the world where the greatest
potential for progress resides. The reason Indonesia continues to
seek closer engagement with Southeast Asia, as witnessed by the
country's recent series of fresh regional initiatives, is because
of the profound benefit which flows from our extensive
partnerships and friendships with the countries in the region and
the realization of mutual interests.

If the region is to survive from the challenges of terrorism
and the globalized world, and if it is to contribute to the well
being of the region's countries, then the new pillar would have
to include the following components: (1) a region united in peace
and democracy where security is not guaranteed by bullets, but by
trust and transparency; (2) regional partnership grounded in the
internal or domestic strength of each partner; (3) a strong
commitment to cooperative security in the region. The more
complex security environment necessitates a strengthening of both
bilateral and regional cooperative links; (4) a commitment to lay
strong foundations for the establishment of ASEAN security and
economic community; and (5) a commitment to institution building
and encouraging greater contributions by the regional mechanisms
to solve pressing regional issues.

President Megawati, though with less than a year left in her
first term, seems to be committed to the future of our immediate
environment, a future that holds great strength, one that
protects our international and national interests and guarantees
Indonesia's quest for a new regional leadership.