Australia needs to cautiously rebuild communications with Indonesia without rushing, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says. Mr Downer said he was not surprised by comments on Monday from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who said the relationship was full of challenges.
Australia's decision to grant protection visas to 42 Papuan asylum seekers was obviously going to cause sensitivity in Indonesia and had clearly done so, Mr Downer said. "We just let things plod along for a little while and gradually rebuild our communications," he told ABC radio. "It is just best to take things cautiously and calmly and not rush into anything too much at this stage."
| Translation: we're bigger, smarter, with a better economy and better prospects, so we'll take our time. Y'all let us know when you want to talk, 'k? |
President Yudhoyono did, on the other hand, renew his commitment to the bilateral relationship with Australia, Mr Downer said. "So we have to work through this period and from our point of view here in Australia we just have to be cautious and sensitive about this," he said. "We can understand why they are upset but of course what we are trying to explain to them is that this has no implication for our recognition of Papua as a full part of the republic of Indonesia."
| "We'll do that next week." |
Mr Downer said he was not surprised Indonesia had declined to attend the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise to be held around Darwin this week as Indonesia had never supported PSI. PSI aims to limit the spread of weapons of mass destruction and materials through developing procedures for intercepting illicit shipments. Mr Downer said unless there was a sudden change of policy in Indonesia, they wouldn't be expected to attend. "I am not sure about a specific invitation. They may or may not have. But they certainly have not supported the Proliferation Security Initiative so if we gave them an invitation we would not have expected a very positive reply unless they changed their policy. We have lobbied them on PSI but they have felt up until now a bit uncomfortable."
Mr Downer said it would be helpful if Indonesia participated in PSI and Australia had urged them to join the 40-50 nations currently involved. |