Bantarto Bandoro, Jakarta
Indonesia burst forth as a strategic regional player more than 40 years ago when the region saw the establishment of ASEAN. Our influence touched almost every aspect of the region. Southeast Asia was and continued to be on the radar of the Indonesian foreign policy.
ASEAN was seen as the main venue where Indonesia articulated its foreign policy interests.
But our foreign policy should not be all about ASEAN, though every administration here seemed to believe strongly the association was the main pillar around which Indonesian foreign policy was built.
The financial crisis in the late 1990s sent Indonesia into a political, economic and social upheaval. The region then wondered: would ASEAN be without a leader?
The crisis affected, strategically and politically, every country’s role and position in the region. And it affected the way other countries in the region perceived Indonesia.
Then Indonesia seemed to become inactive toward its regional policy.
The Indonesian government, however, felt it could not be like this forever and so tried its utmost to improve the country’s domestic situation and international image.
Although our foreign policy agenda was not spelled out comprehensively in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s inaugural address when he was sworn-in as the country’s sixth president, he was committed to continue upholding the free and active principle of foreign policy.
At the same time, Indonesia was determined to become a voice that promotes international peace and increases prosperity at home.
President Yudhoyono knew well that stable, extensive and long-lasting foreign relations were imperative if Indonesia was to maintain its essential structures — namely those interrelated patterns that constitute the basic political, economic and social life of a national society.
He has been committed to Indonesia’s international arena, after decades of downgrading our international role.
It is true the past three years saw tremendous and numerous foreign policy actions, on bilateral as well as multilateral levels.
Perhaps in the eyes of those who think our foreign policy was meant only to build an image, rather than to touch the real domestic concerns of the country, this was only the beginning of a very long process.
And a long process not only toward a safe and peaceful as well as just and democratic Indonesia, but also toward a more prosperous country.
Such an analysis implies Indonesia’s foreign policy has yet to support the country’s domestic needs.
There has been no doubt, however, the President has a full grasp of our international issues as well as a full and proper understanding of our foreign policy.
As the country’s chief diplomat, the way our President conducts Indonesia’s foreign policy has so far seen the country become a potential mediator for crucial international security issues.
His new metaphor “navigating a turbulent ocean” is used to describe the challenges faced by our foreign policy — but it has pushed Indonesia much deeper into the realm of rather competitive and strict regional and global politics.
Many in the foreign policy community here also believe, given the country’s seeming ability to adapt to the changed domestic and external environment that Indonesia, under president Susilo, had reached a point where the extent and depth of its international interest and involvement were not only increasing its international posture and improving its image — but also allowing it to explore ways to contribute more effectively to solving global problems.
Indonesia’s diplomatic maneuvers on the international arena, particularly within a global forum, has pleased other members of the international community.
Its membership in the UNSC has stirred a trend toward stronger multilateralism.
Amd now that Indonesia has embraced multilateralism within its region and more broadly in the world at large, and its foreign policy conduct is more in keeping with prevailing international norms, attention is focused on how far its emphasis on cooperation, collaboration and dialogue will adequately address the issue of securing the country’s long-term national and international interests.
But this is not the case when one sees our foreign policy from a domestic lense.
Certain foreign policy issues have dragged the government, the legislative, and certain parts of the society into opposing camps.
The cases of the UNSC Iran resolution, the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Singapore, the issue of Myanmar, Indonesia-Malaysian relations and Indonesia’s relations with Australia, to mention just a few, clearly reflect the extent to which foreign policy issues are subjected to “domestic power politics”.
As Indonesia’s relations with others become more inter-connected and complex in a more globalized world, and as its foreign policy needs to be continually adapted to a changing environment, Indonesia is finding it more difficult to separate the conduct of its domestic and external affairs.
And the result is different domestic organizations affect the direction, if not the substance, of Indonesian foreign policy.
So, with all the results that Indonesia seemingly gained from its extensive international involvement, at least during the past three years, and the inevitability that foreign policy issues are subjected to domestic power politics, how should one then look into the country’s foreign policy in 2008?
One thing is clear — the year 2008 will see a severe competition among political parties as they prepare for the 2009 general election.
But the country’s foreign policy is too important to be ignored, because it is part of the main stream of our national policy — the government will always have to organize Indonesia’s external relations in such a way to support domestic prosperity and stability.
The following predictions about how our foreign policy should go in 2008 and beyond perhaps can help to paint a clearer picture.
First, as the world will become even more globalized and liberalized, our foreign policy should continuously carry the message that we are continuing to work hard.
That we want to strike a balance between democracy, respect for human rights and security, and the nation’s prosperity and stability.
Second, on a more regional level, because growth in the Asia Pacific in 2008, and perhaps beyond, is expected to build momentum via predicted strong growth in China and India, our foreign policy needs to be executed in such a way that would support the strategic partnership Indonesia has with these two countries.
Bilateralism will continue to mark Indonesia’s foreign policy in 2008.
Third, if our foreign policy wants to be seen as useful, not only for the country’s well being, but also constant in its adherence to multilateralism and in promoting the interests of other members of the international community, then a more proactive, focused and well thought-out foreign policy should be initiated, because there are still unsolved regional and global issues.
Fourth, 2008 could further consolidate the country’s contribution to regional and global developments given the emergence of more acute regional and global issues.
Foreign policy decisions made in 2008 and combined with continued domestic stability will hopefully serve as an anchor for Indonesia’s future regional and global role, as well as its regional stability and security.
The writer is chief editor of The Indonesian Quarterly published by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. He is a lecturer in the international relations postgraduate studies program at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta. He can be contacted at bandoro@csis.or.id.
