New Indonesian and Aussie security pact

A very important pact between Indonesia and Australia hopefully will create a mutual understanding on all issues that will affect the harmony and peaceful relation. Two democratic countries ideally have more common needs than different interest. A trully friendship relation.

Here is the good news from theage.com.au February 7, 2008 – 10:53AM

A historic security pact between Australia and Indonesia will come into force on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda will meet in Perth on Thursday morning to complete the final formalities to bring the Lombok Treaty into effect.

The treaty – covering 10 areas, including cooperation on defence, counter terrorism, maritime security and intelligence – is the first formal security agreement between the two countries since Indonesia tore up the previous treaty during the 1999 East Timor crisis.

The pact, which was signed in late 2006, had to be ratified by the parliaments of both nations.

Under the pact, both countries pledge not to support “in any manner” any activities which threaten the “stability, sovereignty or territorial activity” of the other, including separatist groups operating in their own territories.

It was a key to a thawing of relations between the two nations, after Indonesia’s ambassador to Australia was recalled amid a row in 2006 when Australia granted protection to 43 Papuan asylum seekers.