To build relations anew

Although government officials have stated that tomorrow's meeting in Bali between President Soeharto and Prime Minister Keating will be held especially to discuss the November APEC meeting in Osaka, Japan, there is no doubt that bilateral issues between Indonesia and Australia will be the highlight of the talks. After all, it is the first chance for the two statesmen to meet after weeks of diplomatic friction, caused by the so-called "Mantiri Incident" and the Indonesian flag-burning incidents in Australia last July and August.

We believe that both the time and the venue are just right. The natural beauty of Bali will undoubtedly have a soothing effect on the atmosphere of the meeting. As for the timing, a few weeks of cooling off have, hopefully, wiped away any residual negative leftovers from the emotional outbursts which occurred a few weeks ago.

Given those positive aspects, one could expect that the meeting will end satisfactorily for both sides. The two leaders have known each other for some years now and they should have developed a special bond that is surely strong enough to weather storms such as the Mantiri Incident. The fact stands that wisdom and statesmanship, on the part of the two heads of government, prevailed during the rows and have prevented those incidents from turning into unrepairable disasters.

In any case, the Mantiri Incident is now history. Any rational person would prefer to concentrate on the future, rather than indulge in endless fretting over an unhappy past. Still, one should not forget to learn from the lessons of past incidents.

Viewed from whatever aspect, one could conclude that the Mantiri Incident and the Indonesian flag burnings are indications that the foundations of the Indonesian and Australian relationship are still shaky, despite claims that they had reached an unprecedented level of strength just before the Mantiri Incident.

For one thing, in the past several years, closer relations have developed, mostly between government officials and intellectuals, and perhaps also the media. What is obviously missing are emotional ties between the two countries. There is no sense of a mutual understanding of, and a mutual dependence on each other, much less a shared vision.

And speaking of emotional ties, one would be inclined to attribute this mainly to differences in psyche, which, in turn, is closely related to the norms and values which each of the two nations adhere to. Take for example the difference in viewpoint regarding the position of the national flag. To many Australians, a flag is just a symbol, without spiritual significance. To them, a flag's destruction is not a cause for injured feelings. To most Indonesians, however, the Merah Putih (Red and White) is a sacred national symbol of freedom, obtained after hundreds of years of colonization.

Another example: Many Indonesian felt offended by what they perceived as the dictating tone of Foreign Minister Gareth Evans when he set up the conditions that the Indonesian ambassador to Australia should be a civilian and have no ties whatever with East Timor. Many people here simply concluded that Minister Evans' holier-than-thou stance symbolized arrogance and a total lack of knowledge on the Indonesian psyche, on the part of Australia. The question is: How can Australia expect to move closer to Asia if it cannot understand, much less penetrate, the Asian psyche?

It takes two, or more, to foster a relationship. The lesson here is, both sides have to try harder to better know and understand each other's different norms and values. Relations should be fostered to embrace a wider circle of people, not just officials and intellectuals. Ignorance and indifference, or arrogance, will certainly not help build a more solid foundation for more lasting relations in the future.

Meanwhile, some face-saving solution needs to be found, to fill the vacant ambassadorial post in Canberra. A possible way out is, perhaps, to wait until the end of the tenure of the present Australian Ambassador to Jakarta. Then, both governments can nominate their new ambassadors. In this way there will be no loss of face. The two sides can start anew to nurture a more solid relationship and move together into the 21st century.