Australia-Indonesia Relations: Getting Beyond East Timor.

摘要

Since the end of World War II, Australia has been aware that Indonesia is of crucial importance to Australian security. Australia has worked hard since Indonesian independence to establish a special relationship between Jakarta and Canberra. Indonesia has also valued its relationship with Australia. Indonesia even gave Australia a sweetheart deal in divvying up the oil in the Timor Gap, most likely in exchange for Australia s acquiescence to Indonesia s controversial absorption of East Timor. However, because of Australia s role in the independence of East Timor, Indonesia ended a defense agreement with Australia and relations grew sour. So sour in fact that key Indonesian leaders have cited Australia as the primary threat to its cohesion, particularly in relation to the troubled province of Papua. Australian officials have worked hard to revitalize the relationship. At the functional level there is substantial cooperation. Australia has maintained its aid program and has assisted the Indonesian police in their Bali blast investigations. Restoration of military-tomilitary ties is in the works. Yet Australia has struggled to establish high-level visits. Both Indonesian presidents Wahid and Megawati have cancelled planned trips to Australia, most likely because of nationalist pressures emanating from the Indonesian Parliament and the general public.