SPEECH BY THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, HON R. J. HAWKE AC, MP,
AT THE
PRESIDENT'S DINNER, JAKARTA
4 JUNE 1983
YOUR EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT SOEHARTO* MADAME SOEHARTO,
YOUR EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, -I THANK YOU INDEED. MR PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR
WARM WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS ME PERSONALLY AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY, TOWARDS MY COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE
OF AUSTRALIA. AS THE NEWEST HEAD OF GOVERNMENT IN THIS
REGION I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS ALL THE MORE,
MR PRESIDENT, COMING AS THEY DO FROM ONE OF THE
LONGEST-SERVING, MOST EXPERIENCED AND MOST RESPECTED
HEADS OF STATE, NOT ONLY IN THIS REGION, BUT IN THE
WORLD. YOU HAVE GUIDED INDONESIA'S PROGRESS FOR
SIXTEEN YEARS AND YOU HAVE JUST EMBARKED ON ANOTHER
FIVE-YEAR TERM.
U YOU WERE CALLED TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS NATION
AT A TIME WHEN INDONESIA WAS IN THE DEEPEST OF ECONOMIC
DIFFICULTIES AND WEAKENED BY SEVERE INTERNAL DISCORD AND
EXTERNAL DISSENSION WITH MUCH OF HER NEIGHBOURHOOD.
UNDER YOUR PRESIDENCY, INDONESIA'S ECON IOMY
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED. BOTH IN THE REGION AND AROUND THE
WORLD, YOUR NATION HAS ESTABLISHED A SOLID REPUTATION AS
A RELIABLE PARTNER AND A GOOD NEIGHBOUR.
YOURS HAS BEEN AN IMMENSE ACHIEVEMENT IN BOTH
THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
VAST AND DIVERSE NATION.%
IF I MAY USE A PHRASE WHICH HAS RECENTLY BECOME
FAMILIAR TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA, YOU, SIR, SET YOUR
HAND TO THE TREMENDOUS TASK OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION,.
NATIONAL RECOVERY AND NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION AND BY
CARRYING OUT THAT TASK WITH SUCH FIDELITY AND SUCCESS,
YOU HAVE WON AN IMPERISHABLE PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF YOUR
COUNTRY AND THE HEARTS OF YOUR COUNTRY-MEN AND -WOMEN&
MY OWN VISIT -AS PART OF MY FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT
OVERSEAS AS PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA., UNDERLINES THE
PRIMACY THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA PLACE UPON
OUR RELATIONS WITH INDONESIA$
As YOU WILL RECALL, MR PRESIDENT, WITHIN
A MONTH OF OUR ASSUMING OFFICE AS THE NEW AUSTRALIAN
LABOR GOVERNMENT, THE NEW FOREIGN MINISTER, MR HAYDEN,
CAME TO JAKARTA, INDEED, INDONESIA WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY
HE VISITED. IKNOW YOU SHARE MY VIEW MR PRESIDENT, THAT
THAT INITIAL CONTACT WAS MOST FRUITFUL AND VALUABLE,
ESPECIALLY TO THE'EXTENT THAT IT MADE CLEAR THAT THE
CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF OUR RELATIONS WAS THE OBJECTIVE.
OF BOTH OUR GOVERNMENTS. IWAS THEREFORE MOST ANXIOUS
TO TAKE THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT YOUR EXCELLENCY'S
INVITATION TO COME TO INDONESIAS
THE WARMTH OF YOUR WELCOME, SIR, AND THE
THOUGHTFUL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE FOR ME,
MY WIFE AND THE PARTY TRAVELLING WITH ME, REFLECT NOT
ONLY THE HOSPITALITY FOR WHICH INDONESIA AND HER PEOPLE
ARE WELL KNOWN, BUT ALSO AM SURE I CAN SAY THE
RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE AND TIMELINESS OF THE
CONSULTATIONS WHICH FORM THE CORE OF OUR PROGRAM HERE. a a #/ I4
THOSE CONSULTATIONS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED FREELY
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE PURPOSE I KNOW WE BOTH DEEPLY SHARETHE
DESIRE FOR AN EFFECTIVE, CONSTRUCTIVE AND ENDURING
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDONESIA AND AUSTRALIA THESE
TWO CLOSE NEIGHBOURSi SO DIFFERENT IN SO MANY WAYS,. BUT
WHICH SHARE SO MANY COMMON INTERESTS OF THE HIGHtST AND
MOST ENDURING IMPORTANCE,
AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT FOR US, AS OUR NATION'S
LEADERS, TO NEGLECT ANY OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE MISUNDERSTANDINGS
AND TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF AGREEMENT WOULD BE A.
DERELICTION OF OUR DUTY TO BOTH OUR PEOPLES AND A DENIAL
OF THEIR COMMON DESTINY IN THE REGION WHICH BINDS US
TOGETHER INDISSOLUBLY AS NEIGHBOURS FOREVER.
ACCORDINGLY I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OBJECTIVES IN MY
TALKS HERE. FIRST, WAS MY KEEN DESIRE TO RENEW AND STRENGTHEN
MY PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH YOU, MR PRESIDENT. I HAVE BEEN
ANXIOUS TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH YOU ON THE KEY ISSUES OF REGIONAL
AND GLOBAL IMPORTANCE$
SECONDLY, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VALJJABLE OPPORTUNITY TO
MEET MANY-OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND RENEW OLD FRIENDSHIPS.
THIRDLY., I HAVE SOUGHT TO-IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN
AUSTRALIA'S ATTITUDE-ON CERTAIN SPECIFIC ISSUES WHICH HAVE
ARISEN BETWEEN US&. 0 a6
FOURTH, I HAVE TRIED TO USE THIS UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WITH YOU WAYS IN WHICH WE MAY
BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THE PROGRESS ALREADY MADE TOWARDS
6VERCOMING CERTAIN PROBLEMS.
FINALLY, I HAVE'BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT WITH
YOUR EXCELLENCY ON FURTHER MEASURES WE MAY BE ABLE TO
TAKE TOGETHER TO ADD SUBSTANCE TO OUR MUTUAL PROFESSIONS
OF A DETERMINATION TO REMOVE DIFFICULTIES AND IMPROVE
CO-OPERATION, IT IS OF COURSE NOT APPROPRIATE ON THIS
OCCASION TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL THE COURSE OF OUR DISCUSSIONS
TO DATE, SUFFICIENT TO SAY THAT I WAS DEEPLY GRATEFUL
TODAY FOR THE OPENNESS WITH WHICH YOUR EXCELLENCY TOOK
ME INTO YOUR CONFIDENCE ON INDONESIAN THINKING ON A
RANGE OF MATTERS. I APPRECIATED, TOO, THE CARE WITH
WHICH YOU LISTENED TO ME AS I OUTLINED AUSTRALIA'S
POINT OF VIEW.
r6-
I KNOW, MR PRESIDENT, THAT YOU WILL ACCEPT IT
IN THE SPIRIT OF FRANKNESSi OPENNESS AND SINCERITY OF
TODAY'S DISCUSSIONS IF I REFER, VERY BRIEFLY, TO
EAST TiMOR. WE NEED NOT HIDE WHAT IS A MATTER OF PUg. LIC AND
HISTORICAL RECORD, THAT THE UNFOLDING OF EVENTS IN LATE
1975 AND 76, MARKED A SETBACK IN OUR RELATIONS$
I AM, HOWEVER, CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITY TO
RESOLVE THOSE DIFFERENCES AND PUT THEM BEHIND US, SO THAT
THEY WILL PRESENT NO OBSTACLE IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
OF OUR IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP$
AUSTRALIA ACKNOWLEDGES AND WISHES TO ENCOURAGE
THE MAJOR EFFORTS THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN MAKING
TO IMPROVE THE SITUAT'ION; AND TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF
LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR AFTER CENTURIES OF
COLONIAL MISRULE AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE COLONIAL REGIME.
IN THIS CONTEXT WE SHALL BE MAKING NEW AUSTRALIAN
CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALLING $ 1.5 MILLION TO THE INTERNATIONAL
RED CROSS HUMANITARIAN RELIEF PROGRAM ANDTHE UNICEF ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM IN EAST TIMOR.
AND LET ME CONCLUDE REFERENCE TO THIS MATTER BY
PLACING IT IN ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF
AUSTRALIAN HISTORY. sa17
Tito
THE PARTY WHICH IHAVE THE HONOUR OF LEADINGTHE
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY -HAS, IN ITS COUNCILS,
EXPRESSED ITS CONCERN OVER THESE EVENTS,
BUT LET ME SAY EMPHATICALLY, THAT THAT EXPRESSED
CONCERN IN NO WAY DIMINISHES THE ENDURING FEELING ' OF
FRIENDSHIP WHICH THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS HELD
TOWARDS INDONESIA, FROM THE DAYS WHEN AN EARLIER AUSTRALIAN
LABOR GOVERNMENT AND THE AUSTRALIAN LA3OR MOVEMENT THE
TRADE UNION MOVEMENT WHICH I ALSO HAD THE HIGH HONOUR OF
LEADING FOR A DECADE GAVE ITS SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE OF
INDONESIA, IN THEIR GLORIOUS STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
NEARLY FORTY YEARS AGO.
IBELIEVE IT IS VALUABLE TO RECALL THAT EPOCH,
FOR, OF SUCH MATTERS, AND MEMORIES,. ARE THE RELATIONS
BETWEEN PEOPLES AND NATIONS MADE, 462/ 8
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO REPEAT THAT, EVEN WHERE
DIFFERENCES EXIST, THEY NEED FORM NO INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIER
IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPING AND DEEPENING THE BASIC
FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES$
ON THE CONTRARY, IT IS SURELY THE MARK OF THE
MATURITY OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONS THAT HONEST
DIFFERENCES CAN BE EXPRESSED FREELY AND CANDIDLY
WITHOUT IMPAIRING THE BASIC STRENGTH OF THAT RELATIONSHIP&
IT REMAINS TRUE THAT WE SHARE FUNDAMENTAL
ASSUMPTIONS, WIDE AREAS OF AGREEMENT AND POINTS OF VIEWo
ESPECIALLY ON THE WIDER QUESTIONS OF THE FUTURE OF OUR
REGION ITS PEACE, ITS ECONOMIC GROWTH, ITS STABILITY
AND ITS SECURITY, ABOVE ALL, WE EACH STAND UNSHAKEABLY ON THE
COMMON GROUND THAT OUR REGION AS A WHOLE, AND EACH INDEPENDENT
NATION COMPRISING THE REGION, MUST BE FREE OF OUTSIDE
INTERFERENCE, INTERVENTION, AGGRESSIONj OR ANY ATTEMPT
AT ASSERTING DOMINATION OR HEGEMONY OF ANY KIND. / 9
9b
HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY -WE NEED NOT BE
AFRAID TO CALL IT I'DESTINY' HAVE B'RO* UGHT OUR TWO
COUNTRIES TOGETHER AND CONFRONTED US WITH COMMON PROBLEMS
IN THE REGION IN WHICH WE BOTH LIVE. THIS HAS MEANT
THAT WE EACH PURSUE BROADLY PARALLEL POLICIE$ IN
OVERCOMING THESE PROBLEMS.
WE BELIEVE THAT INDONESIA'S INDEPENDENT AND
ACTIVE FOREIGN POLICY REFLECTS MANY OF THE SAME CONCERNS
AS EXPRESSED IN OUR OWN FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH.
WE NOTE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SUBSTANTIAL AND
POSITIVE ROLE INDONESIA IS PLAYING IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN
REGION, IN PARTICULAR INDONESIA IS MAKING A MAJOR
CONTRIBUTION TO DEVELOPING THE STRENGTH AND SOLIDARITY OF
ASEAN, A COMMITMENT IN WHICH'YOU, MR PRESIDENT, PERSONALLY
PLAY SUCH A KEY ROLE. a
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT REGARDS ASEAN AS
AMONG THE MOST NATURAL, VIABLE, VALUABLE AND SUCCESSFUL
REGIONAL GROUPINGS IN THE WORLD&
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, TOO, IS WORKING TO
ENHANCE THE PROSPECTS FOR SECURITY IN OUR REGION$
IAM CONFIDENT THAT IN THE FUTURE AUSTRALIA
AND INDONESIA WILL USE THESE AREAS OF SHARED PROBLEMS
AND DEVELOPING COMMON EXPERIENCE TO THEIR MUTUAL ADVANTAGE.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES
TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER BOTH AS GOVERNMENTS AND
AS PEOPLES. WE BOTH NEED TO MAKE A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO
UNDERSTAND BETTER EACH OTHER'S POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS
AND TO LEARN TO RESPECT THE DIFFERENT VALUES THEY REFLECT,
ON THIS BASIS, EACH COUNTRY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO
ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS WHICH MAY ARISE, AS WELL AS TO
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO-OPERATION.
THE BASIC GOODWILL EXISTS ON BOTH SIDES, AND
MUCH OF THE MACHINERY OF CO-OPERATION ALREADY EXISTS.
THE HABIT OF INDONESIAN/ AUSTRALIAN CO-OPERATION
AND CONSULTATION IS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED IN A NUMBER
OF FIELDS, INVOLVING BOTH THE GVRMNA N H RVT
SECTORS. Two-WAY TRADE HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN
RECENT YEARS. THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL AUSTRALIAN INVESTMENT
HERE. INDONESIA IS A MAJOR DESTINATION FOR AUSTRALIAN
TOURISTS, / 11
-11~-
OUR DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION PROGRAM WITH INDONESIA
is AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST WITH ANY SINGLE COUNTRY EXCEPT FOR
PAPUA NEW GUINEAS TODAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF OPENING THE NEW
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE TRAINING CENTRE IN JAKARTA,
OUR BILATERAL DEFENCE CO-OPERATION PROGRAM AND
CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND THE YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM,
ARE FURTHER AREAS WHERE, AT THE INITIATIVE OF GOVERNMENT,
A TWO-WAY FLOW HAS BEEN STIMULATED BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES.
BUT MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE. THERE IS A NEED FOR.
ROTH OUR COUNTRIES TO BE ACTIVE AT THE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL
IN PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE OTHER. MORE THAN EVER THERE
IS A NEED FOR A FOCUSED AND DELIBERATE ATTEMPT FOR EACH
COUNTRY TO EXPLAIN ITSELF TO THE MEDIA AND TO PUBLIC OPINION
IN THE OTHER. FEW SUCH CLOSE NEIGHBOURS IN THE WORLD ARE MORE DIFFERENT
IN CULTURE-AND BACKGROUND& THERE IS SO MUCH WE CAN LEARN ABOUT
EACH OTHER AND, I BELIEVE, FROM EACH OTHER..
IREFERRED AT THE OUTSET TO my GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT
TO ESTABLISHING STRONG, CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONS WITH INDONESIA,
AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL NEIGHBOUR. THIS is
NOT ONLY THE DETERMINATION OF THE GOVERNMENT BUT, BEYOND DOUBT,
THE WISH OF THE. OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INDONESIA To AUSTRALIA IS SOMETHING ON WHICH,
WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE
OF CONTINUITY, CONSISTENCY AND CONSENSUS. 804112
MY GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IT IS DUTY BOUND
TO GIVE EXPRESSION AND PRACTICAL EFFECT TO THIS
CONSENSUS AMONG THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE THAT WE MUST
WORK TOWARDS A SOUNDER AND BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH
INDONESIA IN THE FUTURE,
THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF OUR JOINT EFFORTS
TO BUILD A NEW AND ENDURING INDONESIA/ AUSTRALIA
RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE WILL DEPEND VERY MUCH ON
HOW WE PROCEED NOW. WE CANNOT BUILD ON THE BASIS OF
FALSE EXPECTATIONS OF EACH OTHER, NOR CAN WE EXPECT
TO MOVE FORWARD IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF* MUTUAL SUSPICION,
PREJUDICE, OR RECRIMINATIONSOUR AGREED PRIORITY MUST BE, THROUGH DIALOGUE,
TO LAY EVEN FIRMER FOUNDATIONS FOR A RELATIONSHIP
WHICH IS BOTH MUTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS AND MATURE,
MR PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA IS PLEDGED TO THAT
OBJECTIVE, AND I KNOW FROM OUR TALKS TODAY THAT YOU
AND YOUR GOVERNMENT ALSO-SHARE THAT OBJECTIVES " 113
S* -13-
SO IN THAT SPIRIT OF COMMON COMMITMENT,
YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FELLOW GUESTS,
I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME IN A TOAST TO THE HEALTH
AND HAPPINESS OF PRESIDENT AND MADAME SOEHARTO,
TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF INDONESIA AND TO
THE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP OF OUR TWO GREAT NATIONS.