INDONESIANS REFLECT ON US-INDONESIA RELATIONS AS THEY CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY IN NEW YORK

By Manik Mehta

NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- As Indonesians in and around New York
celebrated the 65th anniversary of their Independence Day, many also reflected
on their country's and also the entire Asean community's relations with the
United States.

Indonesia's acting consul general Bambang Antarikso, a suave diplomat who is
quite popular among New York's consular corps, invited Indonesians and New York
based diplomats -- Malaysian permanent representative to the United Nations,
Hamidon Ali, and the Malaysian consul general in New York, Zamruni Khalid,
were among the guests -- to the traditional reception at the Indonesian
consulate general Wednesday night.

Many Indonesian guests took stock of US-Indonesian relations as well as the
tightly-packed schedules of the high-profiled Indonesian delegation that will
descend on the Big Apple in the coming days to attend not only the United
Nations' General Assembly but also be part of the gargantuan US-Asean summit
meeting in New York on Sept 24.

"Our relations have been good with the United States. However, we would also
like to see closer ties between the United States and Indonesia on the one hand,
and the United States and Asean on the other.

"Indeed, we would like our bilateral cooperation with the United States to
increase just as the US relations with China and India have intensified in
recent years," Antarikso said in an interview with Bernama at the Indonesian
consulate general.

Asean officials say that the US presence in Southeast Asia needs to be
upstaged.

One Asean diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that "Asia
is not just China and India" and includes the "vast mass of land and people in
the Asean region replete with huge mineral resources, a large consumer
population and access to some of the world's fastest growing economies".

He said that the State Department officials have underscored the strategic
importance of Indonesia in Southeast Asia.

Indeed, the US administration has also recognised the significance of the
Asean community, not just as a 500 million strong market but also as an
important region with the world's most important shipping sea route.

As the country with the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia could
play a valuable role by helping the West and, particularly, the United States in
what is described as "building bridges" with the Moslem world.

Though Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not be coming to
attend the US-Asean summit - he has already met US President Barack Obama in the
past - Vice President Boediono will be arriving with a large delegation that
will include foreign minister Marty Natalegawa.

Many Indonesian guests at the reception expressed "great disappointment"
over the likelihood of President Obama against canceling, for the third time,
his proposed visit to Indonesia scheduled for November this year.

But many, including Antarikso. were bullish that the visit of Vice President
Boediono would give a strong fillip not only to bilateral US-Indonesian
relations but also to US-Asean relations.

"The signs of closer cooperation between the United States and Indonesia and
also the Asean region have been very encouraging. We hope to build on this
interest," was Antarikso's reading.

As in the case of Malaysia, the cornerstone of Indonesia's contemporary
foreign policy is the Asean region.

US based experts say that Asean has become "far more relevant" in
contemporary international affairs because it is not just pursuing common
economic, social, and cultural goals but also because Asean acquired a security
dimension after the establishment of the Asean Regional Forum in 1994, which
involves the participation of 22 countries, including the United States.

The US has important economic, commercial, and security interests
in Indonesia. It remains a linchpin of regional security due to its strategic
location astride a number of key international maritime straits, particularly
the Malacca Strait.

US diplomats describe US relations with Indonesia as positive; the
relations have advanced since the election of President Yudhoyono in October
2004.

US-Indonesian two-way trade exceeded US$18 billion (RM55.9 billion) in 2009,
with the trade surplus of some US$7.83 billion (RM24.3 billion) in Indonesia's
favour.

Indonesia is also keen to get more investments from the United States. Its
investment promotion office, which was based in Los Angeles, will soon be moving
to New York which, as one Indonesian said, is the "place where the big money
is".

This relocation will also mean a challenging time for MIDA's New York office
as it will vie to get a piece of the investment pie from this side of the
country.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, accompanied by a large delegation that
will include some ministers, will also be coming to New York to participate in
the summit.

Najib's second stage of the "New Economic Model" (NEM) which will be
unveiled next month, has evoked interest in the US. The first stage was
launched in March.

The goal of the NEM is to "transform the Malaysian economy to become one
with high incomes and quality growth" by 2020.
-- BERNAMA