Indonesia Rejects Rudd's Asia Plan
Indonesia’s Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono has dismissed Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's push for an all-encompassing "Asia-Pacific community" to tackle regional
security threats, suggesting the idea is too broad to have a realistic chance of success.
Rudd is expected to again raise his proposal — aimed at strengthening ties to combat common security, economic and political problems — at a meeting of regional defence ministers in Singapore this week.
Indonesia preferred to work through forums such as the Association of South-East Asian Nations. Officials also questioned fears raised following the release of the Australian defence white paper of a budding arms race across the region to counter the rising military might of China.
Jakarta backed assessments that US military presence in the Asia-Pacific region was undergoing a "recalibration" and said this justified Australia's plans to strengthen its naval strike force with extra submarines and frigates.
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