Australia says relationship with Indonesia enters new phase
Updated
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has become one of just a handful of foreign leaders to address Australia's Parliament in its 110-year history. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spoke of "a new phase" in the Australia-Indonesia relationship as both leaders praised bilateral ties, which have been transformed in recent years. The relationship is now seen by both sides as a keystone of regional and global diplomacy. President Yudhoyono also used his speech to parliament, to address the Australian policy concern of people-smuggling. But he's warned that old stereotypes and suspicions on both sides must change, if good relations are to thrive.
Presenter: Linda Mottram
Speakers: Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesian Prime Minister
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MOTTRAM: If there was any doubt about the major shift that Australia-Indonesia relations have undergone in recent years, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was determined to dispel it when he introduced Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Members and Senators of the Australian Parliament.
RUDD: Mr President we welcome you as our neighbour. Mr President, we welcome you as a friend. And we welcome you now as a member of the family of of democracies.
MOTTRAM: A culture of co-operation, neighbours by circumstance, friends by choice, a modern friendship forged in adversity .. these were the common descriptions, as both leaders referred repeatedly to the two nations helping and supporting one another in times of greatest need .. during the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2004 tsunami and last year's bushfires in the southern Australian state of Victoria when Indonesia sent help to Australia, and President Yudhoyono sent Prime Minister Rudd a letter.
RUDD: You said, "In the spirit of the Australia-Indonesia partnership, Australia's success is Indonesian's success and its misery is Indonesia's misery." These were eloquent words Mr President.
MOTTRAM: When President Yudhoyono rose to address the house, choosing to speak in English, he echoed that view, with a particularly personal touch.
YUDHOYONO: To illustrate the depth of our relations let me take a few moments to mention some of the names of some very distinguished Australians...They were selfless soldiers who died in a helicopter crash while helping Indonesian earthquake victims in Nias Indonesia.
MOTTRAM: The President said he had a message of goodwill for all Australians, that the two nations have a great future together, with much to gain if they get the relationship right, but much to lose if they don't.
And if the two nations' co-operation in bringing the Bali bombers to justice was important, the emotional turning point he said was the 2004 tsunami, as Australian and Indonesian soldiers worked together in what the President described as Indonesia's darkest tragedy.
Since then the list of achievements building co-operation was long in education, on climate change and counter-terrorism. But beyond these observations, President Yudhoyono, went to some of the hard policy issues too. Such as people smuggling, a divisive headline issue in Australian domestic politics, and in recent times an aggravator in the bilateral relationship, as people smugglers in Indonesia have been blamed for trafficking asylum seekers to a wary, sometimes, panicked Australia. The two leaders have agreed on a new framework for co-operation in the area. And President Yudhoyono reiterated his own country's plans.
YUDHOYONO: We will speed up the process of relocating illegal migrants in Australia and Indonesia to another country. Now that we know much more about your modus operandi, our respected authorities will intensify their co-operation to disrupt people smuggling activities. And to strengthen our political instrument the Indonesian government will soon introduce to parliament a law that will criminalise people smuggling. Those found guilty will be sent to prison for up to five years.
MOTTRAM: And in the face of continuing protest in Australia on issues like West Papua, the President did not shy away from putting the Indonesian view.
YUDHOYONO: Our nationalism is all about promoting harmony and unity among our many ethnic and religious groups. That is why the success of peace and reconciliation in Aceh and Papua is not trivial but a matter of national survival for us, Indonesia. We would like Australians to understand and appreciate that.
MOTTRAM: President Yudhoyono also praised the two nations work together in multilateral forums, particularly the G-20, which has elevated Indonesia to a new level of importance in global decision making alongside Australia and the U-S.
Indeed in their formal communique after earlier talks, Prime Minister Rudd and President Yudhoyono announced they'd instituted a new annual leaders retreat and annual meetings of defence and foreign ministers which Mr Rudd likened to the processes Australia has with it's more powerful ally in Washington.
Both leaders have also underlined that the relationship should be an example to the world of two nations, one Muslim, one largely Christian, one a founding member of the non-aligned movement, the other embedded in an alliance with the U-S, one developed, the other developing, that can be partners above all else. And for the deep friendship, particularly through education, the President expressed the gratitude he said of many proud Indonesian parents.
YUDHOYONO: Trimakasi Australia, thank you Australia.
