The President's initial moves

The President's initial moves

A few days after his election as the fourth President, even
before his Cabinet was formed, Abdurrahman Wahid made some
surprising diplomatic moves. First was his plan to visit ASEAN
countries, Japan and the People's Republic of China. Second was
his sensational political breakthrough to open trade relations
with Israel.

His plan to visit scores of Asian Pacific countries has an
important implication as an attempt to reenergize the regional
solidarity in countering the Australian ambition to be the United
States "deputy" in this hemisphere (despite a recent denial from
Australian Premier Howard). No less important than its political
reason, his planned visit seems also to seek recommitment of
Asian economic dynamos, like Japan, to continue supporting
Indonesian economic recovery programs.

As for his planned visit to China, it appears to have a very
special meaning. Currently, both China and Indonesia are under
strong international pressure, backed primarily by the United
States and the European Community, over human rights violations.
Indonesia is facing charges for committing human rights
violations, especially in East Timor. Whereas China has faced
continuous allegations for human rights violations in Tibet,
during the Tiananmen Square affair and against internal
politician dissents.

Both countries are in fact sharing the status of defendants
against international charges. But the similarity ends there.
China, on one hand, is currently one of the most powerful nations
in terms of its robust economy, military might and its
international prestigious status as a permanent member of the
Security Council with a veto right. While on the other hand,
Indonesia today is at the lowest ebb in terms of its economic,
political and military conditions. It would be a logical idea to
reestablish a solid alliance between China and Indonesia,
something like the "Jakarta-Beijing axis" of the 1960s, though in
a totally different paradigm and under other circumstances.

No less sensational is his idea to open trade relations with
Israel. So far there has been no single Indonesian leader that
has the guts to risk initiating such a sensitive issue, except
President Wahid himself. If a few years back he accepted his
appointment as an adviser in the Shimon Perez foundation without
any significant domestic resentment, why should he be afraid to
initiate the opening of trade relations with Israel?

If there is any side expressing any concern or worries over
his bold move, it comes from some Arab and Islamic countries
whose envoys have met the President to seek clarification.
Despite his assurance that opening trade relations with Israel is
by no means opening diplomatic relations, which would only be
considered after Israel recognizes Palestinian independence, its
political and diplomatic implications can't be ignored at all.
Apart from the possible advantages acquired by Indonesia, Israel
would definitely reap a diplomatic and political coup by opening
trade relations. Opening official relations with a country of the
largest Muslim population in the globe is an extraordinary
political and diplomatic breakthrough for the Jewish state.

Nobody knows precisely what are the further aims behind
opening trade relations. One can only guess that relations would
open a direct official communication between Jakarta and Tel
Aviv. This opportunity could hopefully be used indirectly to
knock the nerves of powerful and influential international Jewish
lobbyists, particularly in the United States. This informal line
of communication could be expected in some way to influence some
decision-making centers in the United States to take a friendlier
attitude toward Indonesia and to ease excessive political
pressure, particularly when Indonesia is in its critical time to
realize its economic recovery programs and political stability.
Is that precisely what President Wahid had in mind when
initiating his first diplomatic moves? Nobody knows for sure ...

JOESOEPADI

Jakarta