AM - Saturday, 11 November , 2006 08:08:00
Reporter: Geoff Thompson
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Indonesia's Foreign Minister has hailed a new security pact with Australia as an historic document leading the way to a comprehensive partnership between the two countries.
But there's growing confusion over exactly what action Indonesia expects the Australian Government to take against groups in Australia, which actively agitate for an independent Papuan state.
Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, believes Indonesia expects Australia to actively suppress pro-separatist organisations.
Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson reports from Jakarta.
GEOFF THOMPSON: It was Australia's involvement in East Timor in 1999 which sent to the shredder the last security pact between Indonesia and Australia.
Not only did Australia send troops to East Timor, leading the multi-national force after 99's vote for independence, but it's also an open secret that for many years offices of NGOs in Australian cities were used as staging points for assisting those committed to East Timor's independence.
Indonesia's very serious concern, brought into focus by Australia's granting earlier this year of temporary asylum to 43 Papuans, is that Australia is allowing its territory to be used a staging point for Papuan separatists.
It will be an interesting question of interpretation over just what action Indonesia expects Australia to take against organisations pushing for Papuan independence.
Monday's signing in Lombok by of a new Framework Agreement for Security Cooperation is meant to make Australia's "verbal commitment" not to support separatist movements into a "treaty-based commitment".
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said that the agreement's references to not supporting separatist movements refer only to the Australian Government, and have no bearing on what private citizens do within the boundaries of the law.
However Indonesia says it will be closely monitoring just how Australia interprets the notion of support.
As Director of the Asia Pacific and Africa, Primo Alui Joelianto is one of Indonesia's top foreign affairs bureaucrats.
This week he was quoted as saying that, "The agreement includes Indonesia's demand that Australia does not support separatist movements or accommodate any separatist groups from Indonesia in its territory".
When asked about these comments, Mr Joelianto said he was misquoted, but he does expect the notion of "not supporting" to include some action.
PRIMO ALUI JOELIANTO: It's up to the Australians how they translate this principle, you know.
GEOFF THOMPSON: But Indonesia will be watching closely how Australia does translate?
PRIMO ALUI JOELIANTO: Yes, that's for sure.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, says she fears that Indonesia has very high expectations under the new security pact.
DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR: Indonesian politicians, and in clearly the Indonesian Government, have a clear expectation that maybe by signing this agreement, the Australian Government would actually carry out a policy that would monitor and forbid the activities of separatist groups, church groups, NGOs, or academics, for example.
That would be construed as actively supporting separatist movements in Papua or other parts of Indonesia.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Indonesia will expect Australia to actively suppress such organisations?
DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR: Within the possibilities, within the framework of its democratic constitution.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, ending that report from our Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson.
But there's growing confusion over exactly what action Indonesia expects the Australian Government to take against groups in Australia, which actively agitate for an independent Papuan state.
Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, believes Indonesia expects Australia to actively suppress pro-separatist organisations.
Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson reports from Jakarta.
GEOFF THOMPSON: It was Australia's involvement in East Timor in 1999 which sent to the shredder the last security pact between Indonesia and Australia.
Not only did Australia send troops to East Timor, leading the multi-national force after 99's vote for independence, but it's also an open secret that for many years offices of NGOs in Australian cities were used as staging points for assisting those committed to East Timor's independence.
Indonesia's very serious concern, brought into focus by Australia's granting earlier this year of temporary asylum to 43 Papuans, is that Australia is allowing its territory to be used a staging point for Papuan separatists.
It will be an interesting question of interpretation over just what action Indonesia expects Australia to take against organisations pushing for Papuan independence.
Monday's signing in Lombok by of a new Framework Agreement for Security Cooperation is meant to make Australia's "verbal commitment" not to support separatist movements into a "treaty-based commitment".
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said that the agreement's references to not supporting separatist movements refer only to the Australian Government, and have no bearing on what private citizens do within the boundaries of the law.
However Indonesia says it will be closely monitoring just how Australia interprets the notion of support.
As Director of the Asia Pacific and Africa, Primo Alui Joelianto is one of Indonesia's top foreign affairs bureaucrats.
This week he was quoted as saying that, "The agreement includes Indonesia's demand that Australia does not support separatist movements or accommodate any separatist groups from Indonesia in its territory".
When asked about these comments, Mr Joelianto said he was misquoted, but he does expect the notion of "not supporting" to include some action.
PRIMO ALUI JOELIANTO: It's up to the Australians how they translate this principle, you know.
GEOFF THOMPSON: But Indonesia will be watching closely how Australia does translate?
PRIMO ALUI JOELIANTO: Yes, that's for sure.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, says she fears that Indonesia has very high expectations under the new security pact.
DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR: Indonesian politicians, and in clearly the Indonesian Government, have a clear expectation that maybe by signing this agreement, the Australian Government would actually carry out a policy that would monitor and forbid the activities of separatist groups, church groups, NGOs, or academics, for example.
That would be construed as actively supporting separatist movements in Papua or other parts of Indonesia.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Indonesia will expect Australia to actively suppress such organisations?
DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR: Within the possibilities, within the framework of its democratic constitution.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Former Indonesian Presidential Adviser, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, ending that report from our Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson.
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