Australia's stress on Asia-Pacific ties

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, DEC. 10. Australia believes that the ``most critical issue'' for the security of the Asia-Pacific region is the nature of the relationships between the region's ``major powers'' - China, Japan, India, Russia and the United States.

In a comprehensive white paper on defence, the Australian Government has said: ``These countries are important to Australia's security because they are the ones with power - actual or potential - to influence events throughout the Asia- Pacific region. Their relationships will set the tone for the whole region. Overall, the prospects for those relationships are good; however, there remains a small but significant possibility of confrontation.''

An executive summary of the white paper said that, generally, Southeast Asia remained an area of great promise. ``ASEAN continues to provide a focus for the sense of shared interests and common goals which has been so important to Southeast Asia over the past several decades.''

It said there remained, however, a number of security issues in Southeast Asia which need to be handled carefully in order to maintain regional security.

``Countries in our immediate neighbourhood - Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the island states of the Southwest Pacific - face large economic and structural changes,'' the white paper said.

While Australia's over-arching strategic interest was its own defence, Canberra has referred to internal challenges to the stability and cohesion of neighbouring countries as another area of concern.

``Our key strategic interest in Southeast Asia is to maintain a resilient regional community that can cooperate to prevent the intrusion of potentially hostile powers and resolve peacefully any problems that may arise between countries in the region,'' the paper said.

Another strategic objective was to contribute in appropriate ways to maintain strategic stability in the wider Asia-Pacific region. ``We would want to avoid the emergence in the Asia-Pacific region of a security environment dominated by any powers whose strategic interests might be inimical to Australia's and to avoid destabilising competition between the region's major powers.

``Australia also has a strong interest in non- proliferation regimes that spread the weapons of mass destruction,'' the document added.

On its ``strong alliance'' with the United States, Australia said this was a ``key strategic asset'' that would support its bilateral, regional and global interests over the next decade and beyond.

``In the wider Asia-Pacific region, Australia will pursue its objective of supporting strategic stability by developing bilateral dialogues with key countries in the region and contributing to the development of multilateral security forums. In Southeast Asia, we will maintain and develop strategic relationships to encourage regional cooperation and help, where we can, in the development of appropriate military capabilities,'' the paper stated.

Announcing a major increase in defence spending, the white paper said the stress will be on a well-trained and well- equipped defence force which will be available for operations at short notice, and one that can be deployed for extended periods.

``This type of force will provide the flexibility to deal with operations other than conventional war, and contribute to coalition operations... there will be substantial new investment in combat weight, logistic, transport and other enhancements to land force capability,'' the document added.

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Section  : International
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