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.