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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/05/australian-indonesian-relations-an-olive-branch-there-for-the-taking
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australian-Indonesian relations: an olive branch there for the taking | Australian-Indonesian relations: an olive branch there for the taking |
| (1 day later) | |
| Tony Abbott held one-on-one talks with | Tony Abbott held one-on-one talks with |
| Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week, the first meeting | Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week, the first meeting |
| between the pair since the fallout following the spying revelations. | between the pair since the fallout following the spying revelations. |
| The bilateral meeting was an important | The bilateral meeting was an important |
| milestone and a first tentative step towards easing tensions. With the Indonesian | milestone and a first tentative step towards easing tensions. With the Indonesian |
| ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema also now back at his desk in Canberra, it | ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema also now back at his desk in Canberra, it |
| looks like we’re turning a corner. But are things really looking up for the | looks like we’re turning a corner. But are things really looking up for the |
| relationship between our two countries? | relationship between our two countries? |
| What is certain is that the coming months | What is certain is that the coming months |
| are pivotal to ensuring the Australian-Indonesia relationship is left in good | are pivotal to ensuring the Australian-Indonesia relationship is left in good |
| standing before Indonesians vote for their new president. | standing before Indonesians vote for their new president. |
| The outcome of the election has a lot of | The outcome of the election has a lot of |
| importance for Australia. President Yudhoyono has always prioritised a close | importance for Australia. President Yudhoyono has always prioritised a close |
| relationship between both our countries, but current Indonesian sentiment towards | relationship between both our countries, but current Indonesian sentiment towards |
| Australia may make it difficult to get the relationship back on track. | Australia may make it difficult to get the relationship back on track. |
| Indonesians have yet to warm to Abbott | Indonesians have yet to warm to Abbott |
| and the incoming president, either Joko “Jokowi” Widodo or Prabowo Subianto, is | and the incoming president, either Joko “Jokowi” Widodo or Prabowo Subianto, is |
| unlikely to be as accommodating as Yudhoyono. How Abbott plays his hand will determine | unlikely to be as accommodating as Yudhoyono. How Abbott plays his hand will determine |
| whether the relationship fails before it even gets started. The election is a | whether the relationship fails before it even gets started. The election is a |
| rare opportunity to set a new tone for relations between Australia and | rare opportunity to set a new tone for relations between Australia and |
| Indonesia. | Indonesia. |
| Both presidential hopefuls, Widodo (favoured | Both presidential hopefuls, Widodo (favoured |
| in the opinion polls) and Subianto, have been clear on what they are going to | in the opinion polls) and Subianto, have been clear on what they are going to |
| do from a domestic standpoint, but little has been said in relation to foreign | do from a domestic standpoint, but little has been said in relation to foreign |
| policy. Political commentators have noted that | policy. Political commentators have noted that |
| although Widodo lacks international experience, his pragmatism is expected to | although Widodo lacks international experience, his pragmatism is expected to |
| help rebuild the relationship with Australia. Widodo recently announced his | help rebuild the relationship with Australia. Widodo recently announced his |
| running mate Jusuf Kalla, who like him is business-oriented, but has a strong | running mate Jusuf Kalla, who like him is business-oriented, but has a strong |
| international relations background. This could prove a good balance. Subianto on the other hand has been dogged | international relations background. This could prove a good balance. Subianto on the other hand has been dogged |
| by allegations of past human rights abuses and could make the bilateral | by allegations of past human rights abuses and could make the bilateral |
| relationship much harder if elected. | relationship much harder if elected. |
| But aside from government relations and the | But aside from government relations and the |
| issue of drug and people smuggling, there are other initiatives that could go a | issue of drug and people smuggling, there are other initiatives that could go a |
| long way to improving the relationship. | long way to improving the relationship. |
| A recent research summit hosted by the | A recent research summit hosted by the |
| Australia Indonesia Centre in Jakarta this month, one of the centre’s first | Australia Indonesia Centre in Jakarta this month, one of the centre’s first |
| initiatives to help boost trade and industry links, was attended by Nadjib | initiatives to help boost trade and industry links, was attended by Nadjib |
| Riphat Kesoema, his Australian counterpart Greg Moriarty, and business leaders and | Riphat Kesoema, his Australian counterpart Greg Moriarty, and business leaders and |
| academics. With a commitment to strengthen research | academics. With a commitment to strengthen research |
| and education ties between the two countries in sectors such as food, | and education ties between the two countries in sectors such as food, |
| agriculture, energy and infrastructure, the centre will drive solutions to | agriculture, energy and infrastructure, the centre will drive solutions to |
| shared national challenges, something that has proven difficult for governments | shared national challenges, something that has proven difficult for governments |
| in the past. | in the past. |
| There is also a growing recognition within | There is also a growing recognition within |
| Australia of the distance Indonesia has travelled, from a dictatorship to one | Australia of the distance Indonesia has travelled, from a dictatorship to one |
| of the largest democracies in the world. Only last week, Abbott’s mentor and | of the largest democracies in the world. Only last week, Abbott’s mentor and |
| predecessor, former prime minister John Howard, spoke at the World Business | predecessor, former prime minister John Howard, spoke at the World Business |
| Forum in Sydney, remarking that Indonesia had not got the credit it deserved | Forum in Sydney, remarking that Indonesia had not got the credit it deserved |
| for the way it had navigated the last few years. | for the way it had navigated the last few years. |
| If Australia wants to profit from an economy | If Australia wants to profit from an economy |
| that will be the double the size of its own in ten years’ time, it now needs to | that will be the double the size of its own in ten years’ time, it now needs to |
| consider Indonesia as more than just a place to sell products and services for | consider Indonesia as more than just a place to sell products and services for |
| the benefit of businesses back home in Australia. From our company’s perspective as an | the benefit of businesses back home in Australia. From our company’s perspective as an |
| Indonesian paper exporter doing business in Australia, one such step should be to | Indonesian paper exporter doing business in Australia, one such step should be to |
| reduce the administrative burden of importers of Indonesian products into | reduce the administrative burden of importers of Indonesian products into |
| Australia. | Australia. |
| In the coming months, it is crucial that | In the coming months, it is crucial that |
| Australia improves the present relationship with its closest neighbour in a way | Australia improves the present relationship with its closest neighbour in a way |
| which ferments positive Australian sentiment, and feeds into the polls. | which ferments positive Australian sentiment, and feeds into the polls. |
| As two new governments find their feet over | As two new governments find their feet over |
| the coming months they have a unique opportunity to reset relations for a | the coming months they have a unique opportunity to reset relations for a |
| positive future. For Australia’s government a clear demonstration of its | positive future. For Australia’s government a clear demonstration of its |
| commitment to this cause would be by encouraging Australians to buy Indonesian. | commitment to this cause would be by encouraging Australians to buy Indonesian. |
| • Steve Nicholson is the CEO at Solaris Paper | |