Indonesia and Myanmar are intensifying their bilateral
cooperation in the form of their Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation
(JCBC), with Myanmar slated to become ASEAN chair in 2014.
Improvements in Myanmar’s democracy will be crucial as its
2014 ASEAN chairmanship will likely test its capabilities to lead ASEAN toward
the realization of the ASEAN Community in 2015.
Democratization, good governance and human rights are the
main focus of the bilateral cooperation, as Myanmar has been deemed a restive
country ruled by an authoritarian government, with a long record of human
rights violations.
Indonesia, which in the past had dictator president Soeharto
in power for 32 years, but which subsequently transformed itself into a
democratic state, is ready to share its lessons learned with Myanmar through
various capacity-building programs and diplomatic trainings.
After meeting with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung
Lwin at the second JCBC, (the first of which was held in 2007), Indonesian
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the two countries had agreed to work on
priority areas, namely politics, economics and cooperation within ASEAN.
“In the political arena, Indonesia expressed its readiness
to continue working closely with Myanmar in promoting democratization and
government reforms, especially through various capacity-building programs,”
Marty told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday from Yangon.
“Indonesia is interested to share with Myanmar the lessons
it has learned in dealing with challenges, especially in relation to ethnic
conflicts,” he said
He said Myanmar had become more open since his previous
visit in October, when he traveled as both the foreign minister and ASEAN
chairman.
“It has opened up new possibilities. We received visits from
[US Secretary of State Hillary] Clinton, Japan’s Foreign Minister Koichiro
Gemba, and other dignitaries,” said Marty.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague is also scheduled to
go to Myanmar early in January next year.
“Continued attention is being paid to Myanmar, but now in a
more uniform and problem-solving way, unlike in the past, when it was all
oriented to achieving concrete progress,” Marty said.
He added that the two countries have agreed to boost one another’s
economy through cooperation in food security, infrastructure, tourism,
fisheries and forestry.
“We want to achieve a target of US$500 million in bilateral
trade volume by 2015, to promote direct investment in various areas, including
in infrastructure and tourism, and [to boost] cooperation in forestry, culture
and fisheries,” Marty said.
“But most important is cooperation in food security and rice
productivity.”
According to the Trade Ministry, the total two-way trade
stood at $173 million during the first nine months of this year, a slight
increase from the $163.8 million recorded in the same period last year.
In an effort to boost tourism, Marty said the two countries
were looking forward to operating direct flights between Jakarta and Yangon, or
between Bali and Yangon.
He said the JCBC also discussed ASEAN issues and nuclear
proliferation.
On the sidelines of his trip to Yangon, Marty said he also
met with Myanmar’s democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi, for a private meeting at
her house.
He told Suu Kyi about Indonesia’s commitment to helping to
“ensure that the momentum toward change in Myanmar’s democracy, human rights
and good governance is maintained”.
He said Suu Kyi expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s role
vis-à-vis Myanmar.
