968VISIT ~ ju~ TO SOUTH EAST ASIA 1968
DJAKARTA
SPEECH GIVEN BY PRESIDENT SUHARTO AT STATE
DINNER IN HONOUR OF THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME
MINISTER, MR. JOHN GORTON 13 JUNE 1968
Your Excellency Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Gorton, Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:-May 1, on behalf of the Government and the people of Indonesia,
once again express our pleasure and appreciation for Your Excellency's
acceptance of our invitation to visit Indonesia. This constitutes one of the
most important visits to us, for Australia is one of Indonesia's closest
neighbours. Our very close geographical propinquity makes it one of the most
significant aspects for the future development of our two nations.
Indeed, during the past few years the relations between our two
countries were not at their best and at certain periods it was even quite clouded.
However, right now we thank God Almighty those days have passed. We are
now entering a new period and a hopeful future. It has now become our mutual
responsibility to give substance to the future; something that is beneficial to
our common inter ests which we should realize jointly as far as possible and
on the basis of equality.
National independence and the peoples' sovereignty are basic
principles to which we fully adhere. We maintain and at the same time apply
these principles in our attitude towards other nations in the world. Therefore,
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity from Sabang to Merauke
are for the Indonesian people matters of principle. In order to realize those
principles the Indonesian people have fought for hundreds of years sacrificing
all they could offer. The fight for freedom has culminated in the proclamation
of our independence, but our struggle had still to be continued years after. Up
to the present moment, the Indonesian people have still to endure the
consequences of their sacrifice in the effort to achieve their territorial integrity.
One of them is the people's plight in the economic field. We are therefore
determined to defend whatever we have achieved painfully. Despite the burning
spirit of our nationalism, the pantja sila, which is the basic Indonesian
philosophy, will guarantee that it remains a sound one. Nationalism based on
pantja sila will stem the greed for territorial expansion.
To the Indonesian people, independence, sovereignty and
territorial integrity are very important principles; they do not only constitute
our rights and honour, but they also serve as one of the important instruments
for nation building in its broadest sense. I am confident that the Australian
people will understand what I have just said, as they did when the Indonesian
people fought to uphold and maintain their independence in 1945, which they
fully supported, and to which they rendered their concrete assistance. For
all this, on this occasion, the Indonesian people once again wish to express
their high est appreciation and profound gratitude.
Much has happened since the Indonesian people achieved
independence and many changes have occurred in the world and around our
territory. After going through various stages of developments and serious
ordeals, the Indonesian people have now regained their genuine ideals of
independence and we are doing our utmost to substantiate that independence
with the welfare of the people. In our effort to give substance to our
independence by way of reconstruction, we are aware of the necessity to
maintain stability in South East Asia. This stability is to be based upon the
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principles of national independence and the people's sovereignty by which
genuine good-neighbour policy can be established.
In this wo rid, that still contains greed to influence other nations'
internal affairs which in some instances were conducted by force of arms we
also realize the necessity of a physical defence capable of protecting the Indonesian
nation and our country's integrity. However, the Indonesian people believe that
the means for defence, which are decisive and at the same time advantageous,
are the conviction in its own national identity and the standard of prosperity of
its people. In my opinion, such a good neighbour policy is sufficiently realistic
and will always serve as a basis for the Indonesian nation in conducting its
co-operation with friendly countriesi in particular with those in our immediate
neighbourhood. We highly esteem the fact that recently Australia has paid a great
deal of attention to problems encountered by the developing South East Asian
nations, and in particular Indonesia. The developments that have occurred in
Indonesia and the new outlook that has come about in the minds of the Australian
people, to my belief, reflect a very favourable situation for our two nations.
Let us maintain this very favourable atmosphere and transform it into a more
concrete and effective mould. This mutual friendship and co-operation beneficial
to our two nations, will certainly be significant not only for Australian and
Indonesia, but also for the sake of this region's stability and the more so it
will positively contribute to the peace in the world. I pray that my hopes will
become a reality in the not too distant future.
Finally, may I invite Your Excellency, Your Excellencies,
ladies and gentlemen to raise your glasses and to toast to the health of Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and also the health of Your Excellency, the Prime
Minister, Mrs. Gorton, and the distinguished members of the Prime Minister's
party. Thank you.