POLITICS: Australia and Indonesia to sign security treaty, page 1

The Australian and Indonesian governments are negotiating a security treaty. Currently the treaty is still in draft form. The draft version of the treaty states that the Australian government will respect Indonesias territorial integrity.

smh.com.au
Australia and Indonesia are poised to sign a security treaty that will pave the way for a new era of close relations between the two nations.

Indonesian government sources say the pact is wide-ranging, encompassing not only counter-terrorism, intelligence and military co-operation but social, humanitarian and joint political concerns.

Australia has already exchanged drafts of the treaty with Indonesia and it is understood the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, discussed the deal at length with his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, in Jakarta last month.

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Im not quite sure what to make of this treaty. Dont get me wrong I think the treaty is a postive step in the so called war on terrorism. However Indonesia has a poor human rights record and East Timor is still a recent memory to anyone who hasnt been living under a rock.

Australia and Indonesia recently resumed military ties in order to fight terrorism in the region. In this this case to do nothing would be worse then aiding a government with a bad human rights record. The Asia Pacific region would be alot worse off if a islamic terrorist organization overthrew the current Indonesian government.

We can only hope that the means is in place to ensure that any aid given to Indonesia wont fall in the hands of terrorist organizations in that country.

Related News Links:
news.ninemsn.com.au
www.asia-pacific-action.org

[edit on 10-1-2006 by xpert11]

[edit on 10-1-2006 by parrhesia]