AUSTRALIA is implementing a more aggressive foreign policy towards countries in Southeast Asia (ASEAN). This is reflected in the results of the ASEAN-Australia High Level Conference (Summit), in Melbourne, Tuesday and Wednesday (6/3).
Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, in her briefing regarding the summit on Wednesday (6/3), said that the ASEAN – Australia Summit had produced two documents, namely the Melbourne Declaration, the contents of which were the direction of cooperation in the political-security, economic and socio-cultural fields in the future.
The second document is the ASEAN-Australia Leaders Vision Statement, which contains the leaders’ vision in facing various challenges of geopolitical, geostrategic and geoeconomic change.
According to the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) Middle Power Studies Network Program Coordinator Radityo Dharmaputra, these two documents show that ASEAN is now increasingly being looked at by Australia.
“The summit succeeded in producing important documents and commitments to bring Australia closer to ASEAN countries, as well as increasingly positioning Australia as the closest (and important) partner of ASEAN,” he told Media Indonesia, Wednesday (6/3).
According to Radityo, Australia is trying to increase cooperation with ASEAN countries. This is because ASEAN is the only region that is safest and has good economic growth.
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“This also shows Australia’s seriousness in cooperating with ASEAN,” he said.
Separately, Professor of International Relations at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) Faris Al-Fadhat said the ASEAN-Australia Summit provided many opportunities for Indonesia. This ASEAN-Australia Summit is very special because it commemorates the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia cooperation.
“This is the momentum to overcome obstacles to Indonesia-Australia cooperation,” he said.
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According to the Vice Chancellor of UMY, ASEAN countries are very close to Australia, like China and Japan. But the value of trade and other cooperation is still minimal.
“Australia is closest to ASEAN but its trade value is not optimal compared to Japan and China. So it is natural that the main priority of this summit is to discuss the economy, followed by security and culture,” he explained.
Faris also reminded that Indonesia is still far behind other ASEAN countries in utilizing cooperation with Australia. Malaysia and Singapore are superior to Jakat.
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Obstacles in increasing exports and imports from Jakarta to Canberra have long been insurmountable. So Jokowi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meeting on the sidelines of this summit and one of them discussing this issue is appropriate.
“I hope this meeting can increase cooperation between the two countries,” he concluded. (Z-8)
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