Indonesia and Australia on Monday signed a landmark security treaty aimed at smoothing often thorny relations between the two neighbours. The treaty includes a key Indonesian demand that Australia will not support separatist causes in the sprawling archipelago, after Jakarta tore up a previous pact over Canberra's support for independence for East Timor.
"The treaty was signed by Foreign Minister (Hassan) Wirayuda and Foreign Minister (Alexander) Downer at 7:15 pm (1115 GMT)," Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Desra Percaya told AFP from Lombok, an island just east of Bali, where the signing took place.
"Everything discussed went in line with what was planned," he added. Percaya could not immediately give more details. But the foreign ministry's website quoted Wirayuda as having said here that the agreement contained several key principles to strengthen Indonesia's and Australia's bilateral ties.
The principles included "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference of internal affairs, non-support of separatism and not turning their territory as a staging point for separatism."
The minister also said the agreement would accommodate and develop existing bilateral co-operation in defence, law enforcement, counter-terrorism, intelligence, maritime security, aviation safety and disaster emergency response. Critics fear the new agreement to increase military and intelligence ties could see Australia aiding crackdowns on independence activists in the restive province of Papua.
But Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson on Sunday rejected the concerns. "That's a highly provocative statement - most certainly not," he said. The new agreement comes hard on the heels of a diplomatic row over Australia's granting of asylum to 42 Papuan separatists early this year.
Environmentalists have also accused Australia of turning a blind eye to Indonesia's plans to build nuclear power plants by agreeing to sign the treaty. The treaty will also cover agreements on nuclear programs.
Indonesia's nuclear power plans were shelved in 1997 in the face of mounting public opposition and the discovery and exploitation of the large Natuna gas field. But the plans were floated again last year amid growing power shortages.
"Australia is closing their eyes to the whole non-transparent process and only put forward their uranium export business aspect," despite efforts to support democracy in Indonesia, the Indonesian Anti-Nuclear Community said. The treaty will have to be ratified by both nations' parliaments.