Security agreement gives new dimension to RI-Australia links

Security agreement gives new dimension to RI-Australia links

By Richard Breeze

SYDNEY (AFP): The surprise announcement yesterday of a security agreement with Indonesia gives Australia's relationship with its neighbor a new strategic dimension, analysts said.

It capped a week of Asian policy initiatives by Prime Minister Paul Keating.

Senior Australian government officials hailed the agreement -- the first which non-aligned Indonesia has signed with another country -- as one of the most significant Australian diplomatic developments in the past 25 years.

"It's a major step in Australia's relationship with Indonesia and also in regional policy," Michael McKinley of the Australian National University told AFP.

The accord, which has treaty status, was first discussed with Indonesia's President Soeharto in 1994, Keating said, and sealed by the two leaders at the APEC meeting in Tokyo last month.

Peter Gration, a general who was a two-term Australian defense force chief, was Keating's go-between in the 18 months of secret negotiations.

"It was a total surprise to everyone," said McKinley.

The agreement commits the two countries to consult each other when either or both is adversely challenged and to consider joint responses, to promote security co-operation and to establish ministerial consultations over common security interests, he said.

"We are more than neighbors, (now) we are defense partners," said Carlyle Thayer of the Australian Defense Force Academy.

Keating said the agreement would not cut across Australia's commitments under the ANZUS pact, the security treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the U.S., or the 1971 Five Power Defense Arrangements linking Australia with Malaysia, Singapore, Britain and New Zealand.

McKinley saw these arrangements as the "residue of the Cold War" period.

With this agreement, Australia and Indonesia seemed to be seeking "to establish a loose balance of power framework" in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

"The agreement was "about building a structure for the future of Australia, to reduce uncertainties over the next 10 or 20 years, and with it Indonesia is offering us the opportunity to shape the region," Keating said.

In the event of any joint response, Australia's naval and air forces would lend high-tech muscle to Indonesian efforts, McKinley said.

In the air, Australia has F111 long-range strike aircraft and FA-18 Hornet fighters. The navy has six frigates and today launches the second of its six planned Collins Class submarines.

These 78-meter (257 foot) Swedish-designed boats are the most sophisticated conventional submarines.

Current defense cooperation sees naval vessels conducting exercises, Indonesian forces joining war games in Australia, FA- 18s visiting Indonesian air bases, and exchanges of high-ranking visits.

Australia's elite Special Air Service regiment has trained with Indonesia's Kopassus special forces.

In presenting a defense blueprint in November, Defense Minister Robert Ray said that while no country had the capability to seize and hold Australian territory, capabilities to mount lesser levels of attack would grow in the next 15 years.

"... Our security will be enhanced by closer strategic engagement," with Asia said Ray, prefiguring yesterday's agreement.

"We will strengthen our bilateral defense relationships, and actively pursue multilateral approaches to security in the region," he added.

Government officials said Malaysia was advised about the treaty after Keating's announcement, while the United States was informed Wednesday night.

Keating said Wednesday he will visit Malaysia on Jan. 15 and 16 -- the first such state visit there by an Australian prime minister for almost 14 years -- and will also make a short visit to Singapore.

The Malaysian trip is widely seen as an attempt to cement recent improvements in the often stormy bilateral relationship. But it is also hoped that it will sew up a two billion dollar (US$1.5 million) contract for an Australian firm to build six patrol vessels for the Malaysian navy.