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The importance of being Indonesia

Reashot Xigwin

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The importance of being Indonesia
Pallavi Aiyar
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QUIET DIPLOMAT: Indonesia’s new international stature was on show at the APEC forum this year. Photo: AP

Indonesia can talk from a position of confidence to everyone, from its ASEAN cousins to western powers, and also countries such as Egypt and Tunisia
In a continent dominated by behemoths like China and India, the archipelago of Indonesia can sometimes find itself in the shade. But increasingly, this populous, Muslim-majority democracy is feeling confident enough to assert its presence on the international stage — and with good cause.

It is South-East Asia’s largest economy and has been averaging a brisk growth of 6 per cent in recent years. With a youthful population of over 240 million people and a burgeoning middle class, the country’s transition from military dictatorship to vibrant democracy has put paid to notions that Islam and democratic values cannot coexist. Moreover, while size gives it clout, Indonesia does not have direct stakes in the rivalries that roil the region. It is therefore a natural choice for the crucial role of mediator in a neighbourhood increasingly shaped and squeezed by China’s rise on the one hand, and the United States’ “pivot” to the region, on the other.

At the high table

Indonesia’s new international stature was on display in October when, in a two week-period, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono played host to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South Korean President Park Geun-hye, in between hosting leaders from Russia to Japan at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum held in Bali. Mr. Yudhoyono’s foreign policy formulation of “a thousand friends and zero enemies” suddenly appeared to be more than overheated rhetoric.

The APEC summit was immediately followed by more summitry in Brunei as the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three meetings got under way. The issue du jour at all of these meets was the one where Indonesia’s bridge-building skills are most needed and have been most obviously on display: the South China Sea.

With fierce disputes breaking out between an ascendant China and many of ASEAN’s 10 members, notably Vietnam and the Philippines, it is Indonesia that has emerged as the soother of ruffled feathers. It nods understandingly at the concerns of all parties, while nudging them towards dialogue.

Last year, tensions within ASEAN reached a high when for the first time in the group’s history, a meeting of Foreign Ministers failed to yield a joint communiqué. The issue behind the split was China’s actions in the South China Sea. Those members with disputes in the waters themselves — Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, supported by Singapore and Thailand — rooted for the voicing of serious concerns over Beijing’s “belligerence” in enforcing its claims over the Spratly, Paracel and other islands and atolls. However, non-claimants, mainly Cambodia supported by Laos, were loath to alienate China and refused to countenance any measures that Beijing would object to.

With ASEAN in crisis, the Indonesian Foreign Minister began flying from regional capital to capital, to mend the rift. Eventually, all ASEAN members were persuaded to agree that the best course of action would be the formulation of a code of conduct (CoC) between ASEAN and China, on how to manage disputes in the waters, a position backed by the United States.

Even more impressively, Indonesia was able to persuade Beijing to somewhat modify its traditional stance that any CoC be negotiated bilaterally, rather than multilaterally with ASEAN. China has agreed to consider the possibility of multilateral talks. It is a vague commitment, but one that has served to tamp down tensions — which was Indonesia’s main goal.

As Dr. Evi Fitriani, head of the International Relations department, University of Indonesia, says, “We are aware that we cannot solve the dispute, but we can help manage it.” With no obvious dog in the fight, Jakarta has ably exploited its unique position, persuading everyone from China, and other ASEAN members, to the U.S., to heed its efforts as an honest broker.

In Myanmar

Indonesia’s foreign policy USP (unique selling point) is low-profile diplomacy that seeks to nudge rather than demand. And it prefers the back door to the limelight. She cites other examples of this “quiet diplomacy.” Jakarta played a crucial role in easing tensions between Cambodia and Thailand in their border dispute over the area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple. It eventually sent in a team of observers to monitor the territory.

Again, Indonesia has played a quiet, advisory role to Myanmar as the latter attempts a democratic transition from military dictatorship to democracy, which in many ways mirrors Indonesia’s own transformation 15 years ago. “We don’t carry a megaphone about it, but both state and non-state actors from Indonesia and Myanmar have been in close contact,” says Dr. Fitriani.

Experiences

Indonesia derives its diplomatic strength from its own experiences. As a Muslim-majority country that has made a successful, if difficult, transition to democracy it can talk and make suggestions, from a position of confidence, to everyone. These range from its ASEAN cousins to western powers like the U.S., and even countries like Egypt and Tunisia as they struggle in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

Since 2008, Indonesia has held the Bali Democracy Forum, an annual meeting that seeks to strengthen democracy in Asia. This kind of preaching is more often undertaken by prescriptive actors like the European Union. But since it comes from another Asian country, participants, even the less-democratically inclined among them, tend to be more open to listening than might be imagined. “We share the same culture and problems as other Asian countries which makes our opinion more relevant to them, than lectures from European countries who have a completely different context,” agrees Dr. Fitriani.

As a result, Indonesia has calibrated, without breaching the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other countries, usually a red line in this part of the world. It has emerged as the country that talks most forthrightly about issues like human rights. It was instrumental in pushing through the 2012 ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, although the final outcome was weaker than many hoped for.

Challenges

Compared to Asia’s largest powers, China and India, Indonesia’s foreign policy is subtle. China is widely perceived to be nationalistic and aggressive, a goliath with a club in one hand and contracts for lucrative trade deals in the other. This is a strategy that might win it some accomplices but few lasting friends. India’s arrogance and inflated sense of its self makes it a reluctant and less-than-effective actor in multilateral fora. Indonesia, however, seeks strength in alliances and valorises mediation away from the spotlight.

Of course the country is not without its challenges. It is difficult to be everyone’s friend in a polarised world. Were conflict to break out in the South China Sea, for example, Indonesia’s policy of equidistance would no longer work. Moreover, a worsening domestic track record, with the economy in a slump, and accusations of growing intolerance against minorities, will rob it of the hard-won moral authority it has gained over the last decade. Testing times lie ahead for the region’s quiet diplomat.

The importance of being Indonesia - The Hindu
 
I applause the Indonesia for their "objective and fair" mediation and evaluation of geopolitical and strategic interest. Nobody, not the Philippines or the Vietnam, has the power or respect for us to "reconsider" our strategic approach. Only the Indonesia that we can accept to play the mediator role. I hope the Indonesia will continue their approach and put all national interest of all relevant states into their assessment.
 
I applause the Indonesia for their "objective and fair" mediation and evaluation of geopolitical and strategic interest. Nobody, not the Philippines or the Vietnam, has the power or respect for us to "reconsider" our strategic approach. Only the Indonesia that we can accept to play the mediator role. I hope the Indonesia will continue their approach and put all national interest of all relevant states into their assessment.
bla bla bla...don´t talk trash! you see Indonesia and others just a tool, easily to be malipulated. You can fool others, but never Vietnam. We are too similar too close, you know.
 
bla bla bla...don´t talk trash! you see Indonesia and others just a tool, easily to be malipulated. You can fool others, but never Vietnam. We are too similar too close, you know.

well i don't know there's a tool that has bigger role and capability in balancing bigger powers presence than a-can't-be-manipulated-non-tool such as Vietnam, well at least Indonesia is not trying to look idiot by inviting war to its soil, nor is Indonesia trying to look like a red light district girl by opening its legs like ports for foreign navies like Cam Ranh Bay.

You can deny any assumption made by the other members, but dragging other countries into your re-assumption equals making a new assumption, that my friend is an act of inviting a new conflict.
 
well i don't know there's a tool that has bigger role and capability in balancing bigger powers presence than a-can't-be-manipulated-non-tool such as Vietnam, well at least Indonesia is not trying to look idiot by inviting war to its soil, nor is Indonesia trying to look like a red light district girl by opening its legs like ports for foreign navies like Cam Ranh Bay.

You can deny any assumption made by the other members, but dragging other countries into your re-assumption equals making a new assumption, that my friend is an act of inviting a new conflict.
Can Indonesia play any mediation role to ease tensions in the region as this guy j20dragon suggests? China rhetorics cannot hide their intention: she wants hegemony, she does not want to see other powers which are not claimants to intervene in the disputes in the East and South China Sea. Look, Chinese don´t even bother to consult South Korea when they established ADIZ. Now we have a weird situation: America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan are united to defy China´s zone.

China diplomacy may be the worst in the world. As for Vietnam, we don´t invite war, but need some jokers in the hand when dealing with the Chinese. By the way, you have now dispute with Australia.
 
Can Indonesia play any mediation role to ease tensions in the region as this guy j20dragon suggests? China rhetorics cannot hide their intention: she wants hegemony, she does not want to see other powers which are not claimants to intervene in the disputes in the East and South China Sea. Look, Chinese don´t even bother to consult South Korea when they established ADIZ. Now we have a weird situation: America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan are united to defy China´s zone.

China diplomacy may be the worst in the world. As for Vietnam, we don´t invite war, but need some jokers in the hand when dealing with the Chinese. By the way, you have now dispute with Australia.

China is slowly becoming a Superpower if not of the world, but is most certainly in the region & when a superpower want something they're going to get it, regardless of what you & other thinks. That's just the way it is. So don't act all surprised. Indonesia can help ease tension & bring the actors to the negotiating table to discuss it. That is all. Whether it succeed or not its up to the negotiator. Not to the country who happens to host the event.

Indonesia may help Myanmar transition from a military into a civilian rule & the only country that can hold ASEAN together, but remember the country is not a miracle worker so don't expect to much from us.

With fierce disputes breaking out between an ascendant China and many of ASEAN’s 10 members, notably Vietnam and the Philippines, it is Indonesia that has emerged as the soother of ruffled feathers. It nods understandingly at the concerns of all parties, while nudging them towards dialogue.

Last year, tensions within ASEAN reached a high when for the first time in the group’s history, a meeting of Foreign Ministers failed to yield a joint communiqué. The issue behind the split was China’s actions in the South China Sea. Those members with disputes in the waters themselves — Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, supported by Singapore and Thailand — rooted for the voicing of serious concerns over Beijing’s “belligerence” in enforcing its claims over the Spratly, Paracel and other islands and atolls. However, non-claimants, mainly Cambodia supported by Laos, were loath to alienate China and refused to countenance any measures that Beijing would object to.

With ASEAN in crisis, the Indonesian Foreign Minister began flying from regional capital to capital, to mend the rift. Eventually, all ASEAN members were persuaded to agree that the best course of action would be the formulation of a code of conduct (CoC) between ASEAN and China, on how to manage disputes in the waters, a position backed by the United States.

Even more impressively, Indonesia was able to persuade Beijing to somewhat modify its traditional stance that any CoC be negotiated bilaterally, rather than multilaterally with ASEAN. China has agreed to consider the possibility of multilateral talks. It is a vague commitment, but one that has served to tamp down tensions — which was Indonesia’s main goal.

This spy dispute with Australia will eventually blows over with Indonesia smelling like rose in the end.
 
China diplomacy may be the worst in the world. As for Vietnam, we don´t invite war, but need some jokers in the hand when dealing with the Chinese. By the way, you have now dispute with Australia.

It's not hard to tell which country has been bombing countries for the past decades, so no Chinese diplomacy is not the worst in the world. When you country is right next to a super power, you ain't gonna have jokers. If you think you can deal with China by bending forward so the US can nail you from behind you have to reconsider if that is the joker you are dreaming of.
 
well i think what Indonesia want to pursue is the current status quo happened in ASEAN
 
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