Love your Neighbors: Crisis in Indonesia-Australia Relation and the New ASEAN Chairmanship

Abstract

In the fourth quarter of 2013, there are two cases which might bring implications for both Indonesia as well as ASEAN in the near future. Firstly, the change of government in Australia from the former Labour Party to a Liberal-National coalition has immediately created tension in the bilateral relations of Indonesia and Australia after some period of smooth and constructive relations especially in dealing with the threat of terrorism. The policy of the new administration under Prime Minister Tony Abbott to curb the numbers of boat people coming to Australia has been viewed by Indonesia as challenging its national sovereignty. The second important case is the result of the ASEAN Summit in Brunei Darussalam. The relative success of this Summit, following a shameful failure of ASEAN to come out with a Joint Communique in Phnom Penh the previous year, has to some extent brought ASEAN back on track towards establishing an ASEAN Community in 2015.