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.