Economics, terrorism top Obama’s agenda

Although US President Barack Obama will come to Indonesia to launch a wide-ranging partnership with Jakarta, experts said economics and counterterrorism would eventually top the agenda of his bilateral meetings with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Siswanto, a researcher with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said economics and counter-terrorism would top the agenda because the main US interests rested on how to cope with the domestic economic downturn and to woo Indonesia’s support for its unpopular worldwide counterterrorism campaign.
“Indonesia’s largest bargaining chip is its anti-terror campaign and its strategic position connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans,” he said.
Half of the world’s trade vessels pass through the Malacca Straits, which have become a source of concern because of vulnerability to piracy as well as terrorist attacks. The US depends largely on Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for the safety of the Malacca Straits and has sought to cooperate closely with them despite reluctance from Jakarta over sovereignty issues.
“The US is still very interested in making Indonesia’s its military base to address terror and maritime security. They will woo Indonesia for closer security cooperation,” said Siswanto.
Indonesia, home to the largest Muslim population in the world, has become the vanguard of counterterrorism after the splinter group of Jamaah Islamiyah turned the archipelago into their Southeast Asia base to launch terror attacks.
The US has also sought to secure its energy investment in volatile Papua and has expanded its energy investment into other potential oil and gas blocs.
Hashim Djalal, a senior diplomat, said climate change and the environmental agenda might receive a minor highlight because of the lack of urgency compared to the issues on economics or counter-terrorism.
“I, personally, have talked to US diplomats about the importance of further discussions on environmental issues, including how to manage Indonesia’s ocean energy as energy alternative. However, it seems they might be put on the back burner because of preoccupations with other issues,” he said.
Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra said as both Obama and Yudhoyono were preoccupied with how to improve their declining popularity at home, the meeting could be used to advance cooperation to boost their own interests.
“The US needs more support from Indonesia for counterterrorism worldwide. On the other hand, Indonesia also needs to raise its political profile by engaging more in global issues. Both can work together for their own interests,” he said.
Jakarta and Washington are still engaged in negotiations on biomedical joint research and the revocation of the US training ban on the Indonesian Army’s Special Forces of
Kopassus. Delegations from Jakarta and Washington have exchanged views but have not set dates for the joint lab or the lifting of the ban to take effect. Training contacts with Kopassus are banned over allegations of involvement in rights abuses.
“We do not necessarily have to reach any deals before or during Obama’s visit because we are looking for cooperation that can mutually benefit both sides,” said former foreign minister and current presidential adviser Hassan Wirajuda.
Washington and Jakarta agreed on biomedical research cooperation last year, following the closure of the US-Indonesia naval joint research of Namru. Namru was closed after Jakarta refused to grant diplomatic immunity to its US staff.
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