Singapore and Indonesia ink extradition, defence pacts

'Good, fair package': PM Lee says both sides now have a basis for taking their relationship another step forward

The Straits Times, April 28, 2007
By Lydia Lim, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT


HAPPY OUTCOME: President Yudhoyono said both he and PM Lee shared the view that ties should go beyond resolution of existing issues to finding new areas of cooperation.






BALI - SINGAPORE and Indonesia yesterday inked two pacts, on extradition matters and defence cooperation, which both sides said made for a good and fair package that advanced their mutual interests.

The two neighbours also agreed that problems should not prevent them from seeking cooperation in other areas.

Visiting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made these remarks during a joint press conference after they witnessed the signing of the two treaties at the palace here.

Negotiations on the agreements began two years ago and were concluded late on Monday in Singapore.

Expressing delight at the successful outcome, Mr Lee said: 'This is not just a matter of technical negotiations, but also of a political decision on both sides that we would like to focus on these two key issues, despite whatever other matters may come up from time to time, and bring them to a successful conclusion.'

Singapore and Indonesia now 'have a basis for taking their relationship another step forward', he added.

And a 'full agenda' of cooperation lies ahead, in areas such as the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that Singapore is helping to develop in parts of Indonesia, and the joint efforts to fight forest fires in the Jambi province. On the regional front, both countries were also working together on efforts to draw up an Asean Charter and in the East Asia Summit.

Concurring, Dr Yudhoyono said he and PM Lee shared the view that bilateral ties should go beyond the resolution of existing issues to finding new areas of cooperation, such as the SEZs.

'The political context that we should consider is the whole cooperation framework that we can build up and expand in future for the good of both nations and the need to resolve issues that come up by other means,' he said in Bahasa Indonesia.

In a likely reference to how domestic politics in Indonesia often had an impact on its foreign relations, Dr Yudhoyono said: 'A wider political context, not practical politics, that is the foundation or cornerstone of future Singapore-Indonesia bilateral cooperation.'

The next step is to get the two treaties ratified.

Mr Lee said this would require the leaders on both sides to explain the package deal to their Parliaments and citizens in order to win support and help them understand 'what is possible, what can be delivered' when the treaties come into force.

This was likely a reference to the Extradition Treaty, which Indonesians hope will ensure the return of economic fugitives and the monies they took with them.

On his part, Dr Yudhoyono made clear that Indonesian fugitives had fled to many countries. He said that was why Indonesia planned to negotiate extradition treaties with more countries, including China and Canada.

Mr Lee also acknowledged that since the start of negotiations two years ago, other bilateral issues had cropped up.

He did not specify what these were, but the two issues currently in the news are Indonesia's ban on the export of land sand and its detention of 22 barges carrying granite.

Both actions disrupted the supply of basic construction materials to Singapore. It is now diversifying its supply sources.

Yesterday, Mr Lee said the decision to carry on with negotiations and conclude the two pacts must be viewed within the overall context of the two countries' long-standing relationship, built up over many years and spanning many areas of cooperation.

The negotiators had worked to secure a package that was a 'good and fair deal' for both sides.

'I believe that this is a package that is beneficial to both sides and politically defensible and will win political support both in Singapore and Indonesia,' he said.

lydia@sph.com.sg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MANY CONSIDERATIONS

'We have to look at the overall context of the relationship...these are issues that have been there for some time.

We embarked on negotiations two years ago and as we negotiated them, there have been further developments in our relationship and we have to work out a package where both sides have got a good and fair deal but neither side feels that this is imbalanced.

And it has also to be a package which can be explained and sold and defended to the Parliaments and to the voters and citizens of each of the countries.'

PM LEE, on the political issues that had to be taken into account in concluding the two agreements