I CLL.;
SPEECH BY THE PRIKE MINISTER, THE HON P. J. 1CATING
OFFICIAL BANQUET GIVEN BY PRESIDENT SOEHARTO
ISTANA NEGARAt JAKARTA, 21 APRIL 1992
1 am very pleased to be here in Indonesia on this my first
visit abroad as Prime Minister. As one of the new Heads of
Government in the region, i appreciate the warm words of
welcome from the region's undisputed elder statesman.
I wish to congratulate you, Mr President, on your election
as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Movement's
summit in Jakarta this September will demonstrate once again
the leading role Indonesia plays in important international
forums.
Mr President, more than forty years ago, the political party
which it is my privilege to lead the Australian Labor
Party lent its support to the people of Indonesia in their
struggle for independunce.
We in the Australian labour movement have always respected
Indonesia's determination to pursue an independent course in
the world. Indeed, that same independent frame of mind in
something which my government is Meen to foster in
Australia. It is important to our strength as a people and as a nation.
Mr President, at a time of rapid economic and strategic
change, Indonesia and Australia have more in common than our
dirrerent histories and cultures would suggest.
We both understand that Our ability to participate fully in
the rapid economic growth of the Asia-Pacific region depends
on more than the natural resources with which our countries
are so richly endowed.
Nations need more than this. Success also depends on what
you, Mr President, have long referred to as " national
resilience". We recognise this in Australia. 1i Hpl J i NO U 1-Ui/
TEL: 21. Apr. 92 19: 41 No. 017 P. 02/ 1
We know that to reach our full potential we must work
cooperatively, combine our talents and energy, harness our
human and material strength, and lua~ e Australia more truly
one natio~ n.
I think you will understand some of the challenges we see
ourselves facing.
Australia is a vast continent. It is also a sprawling
federation. The great distances, and the cultural gaps which emerged
over time, have consequences for economic and political
efficiency, for national cohesion for our ability to
pursue and achieve national goals.
in the 1990s I believe you will sea Australia face these
long-standing realities am never before. I think you will
see us pursue our goals as never before with an
unparalle). ed sense of purpose and efficiency.
Under your leadership, Indonesia has undergone an economic
transformation which has dramatically improved living
standards in your own country, and contributed to wider
regional stability,
You have made the difficult Judgements, the tough decisions,
required to turn your economy towards the glal economy.
We have * ought the same goal of international
competitiveness end, in the past decade, we have rollowed a
very similar path towards it.
As our two countries have become more outward looking, our
trading relationship has become more significant.
Australian exports to Indonesia are nearly four times
greater than they were ten years ago. Indonesia, which was
Australia's 17th largest export market ten years ago, is now
our loth largest export market.
Our trade has diversified in much the same degree as it has
grown. minerals and primary products remain important but they no
long3er dominate.
Much of the increase in exports to Austr~ alia in recent years
has been in manufactured goods.
Australian exporters have found in Indonesia now markets for
manufactures, machinery, computers, and telecommunications
products, as well as in education services, engineering
consul. tancies, construction, banking and finanae,
14r President, our countries also share rundamental interests
in the stability and security of our region-
Both governments were active in the long negotiations
leading up to last October's signing of a comiprehensive
political settlament in the Cambodia conflict.
Australian and Indonesian armed forces are now serving
together in Cambodia as part of the United Nations
peacekeeping force.
Let me also take this opportunity to applaud the active and
substantial role that Indonesia has played in ASFEAN, I
ASEAN's creation in the 1960s, and its success and maturity
today owe much to you Mr Pros ident. The recti-on owes much to
you. We are very conscious of the benefits which flow to
Australia from Indonesia's positive contribution to regional
affairs. we also welcome the ASEAN countries' recent decision to
create an ASEAN Free Trade Area.
Hr President, your country's role in ASEAN has been
complemented by the active role you have played in APEC. We
both understand the contribution which APEC can make to the
development of the broader Asia-Pacific region.
As fellow members of the Cairns Group, we are also united in
our appreciation of the need for a successful conclusion of
the Uruguay Round,
An open multilateral trading system with strong, clear rules
covering all areas of international trade including
agriculture is in our interest, just as it is in the
interest of the other members of the GATT.
In the post three years, our two countries have begun t6
build a network of connections and institutional links which
has given greater substance to our bilateral relationship.
The hallzark of these growing connections has bean practical
co-operation and substantive dialogue.
Of particular importance has been the 1989 Timor Gap Zone of
Co-operation Treaty, which establishes a system for joint
exploitation of petroleum resources in the Timor Sea.
Xn 2.989 our two countries also established the Australia
Indonesia Institute in order to promote greater mutual
unddrotanding, especially in the fields of culture and
education. The growing web of bilateral connections has also been
strengthened by the greatly increased numbers of ministerial
visit. These substantive links have enabled our GovernmeUnts to
maintain a frank and constructive dialogue, especially
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4.
during the past few montne, following the tragic events in
East Timor last November.
The signing of a number of bilateral agreements during my
visit is an important demonstration of the sorts of l. inks
which we would like to see developed.
We are especially keen to expand bilateral commercial links,
and to encourag e vur private sectors to take advantage of
the opportunities created by the reform of our economies.
Mr President, a hundred years ago, in what becaue known as a
Golden Age, th. infant Australian nation forjel an identity
and political system which still very largely defines us to
ourselves and to the world.
It was a reflection of the country's origins and the
imperial values of the day that the identity and the system
were often, in both spirit and substance, anti-Asian.
In the 1990s I~ believe the AU~ tralian identity is being reshaped
in a way which is consistent with the multicultural
realiLy of our society, and the final paesing of the
vestiges of our colonial past.
Much will not be changed. Much we would defend AUjj
change. But the new identity Will be emphatically different in this
it will. positively. engage with the region in which we
live.
Mr President, it is my Toat sincere hope that we shall
continue1 1U make our relationship broader$ deeper and more
stable, in an important sense, each of us is the other's best test
of how effectively we will be able to deal with -the social
and political diversity, and the rapid change, which will
mark our region and the world in the 1990s.
My visit may be seen as a signal of Australia's
determination to pass that test#
Mr President, I am very glad to be here. I look forward to
our discussions tozqorrow on important bilateral, regional
and international 4evelopments.
Your Excellencies, Distinc5Uished Guests, Ladies and
Gentlemen, I would now like to ask you to join me in a toast
to the health of His Excellency the President and Mrs
Soeharto, to the prosperity or the Republic of Indonesia,
and to further progress in friendship and co-operation
between our two nations.