Yudhoyono calls for end of stereotypes

The Indonesian president has challenged Australians to stop seeing his country as
just a "beach playground with coconut trees".

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gave a historic speech to a joint sitting of federal
parliament in which he said relations between Australia and Indonesia could move to
a higher level after a difficult past.
But he said some things had to change first.
In the first speech to federal parliament by an Indonesian president, Dr Yudhoyono
called for "age-old stereotypes" to be banished.
"There are Australians who still see Indonesia as an authoritarian country, or a
military dictatorship, or as a hotbed of Islamic extremism, or even as an
expansionist power," he said on Wednesday.
"I want all Australians to know that ... we are infinitely more than a beach
playground with coconut trees."
There were problems on the other side too, with some Indonesians afflicted by
"Australia-phobia".
"Those who believe that the notion of White Australia still persists," the president
told the more than 220 MPs and senators who crammed into the House of
Representatives to hear him speak.
Indonesia is a crucial country to Australia on security, terrorism, people smuggling
and trade. But the relationship has often been put under strain over difficult
issues like East Timor.
Dr Yudhoyono said ties were now "solid and strong" and with more work, the two
countries could share a great future together.
Australia should not encourage separatists within Indonesia, he hinted, referring to
Aceh and Papua.
He called for much more two-way trade and investment, and emphasised the importance
of ASEAN while Australia pushes for a wider East Asian regional body.
But Dr Yudhoyono was also at pains to help Australia.
He promised to hunt down terrorists, and pointed to the death of suspected Bali
bombings mastermind Dulmatin in a police raid.
Indonesia would introduce tough new anti-people smuggling laws, he said, and
intensify its work in disrupting the movement of asylum seekers.
And the two leaders formally agreed to meet every year.
Dr Yudhoyono's speech went down well with MPs, who laughed at his jokes and gave him
a standing ovation. Some MPs attempted greetings and remarks in Bahasa Indonesian.
The normally staid president seemed at ease and made several jokes.
Indonesians admired Australia because of soap operas and stars like Nicole Kidman
and Steve Irwin, he said.
Dr Yudhoyono also won some laughs for his grasp of slang when he said he hoped for a
"fair dinkum partnership" between the two countries.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was effusive in his praise of the president and of
Indonesia, saying the two countries were entering a new phase of co-operation.
"We are neighbours by circumstance but we are friends because we have chosen to be
friends," Mr Rudd told the chamber.
In a private meeting, Mr Rudd raised the case of three Australian drug offenders who
face execution in Indonesia, saying he would call for clemency.
The two leaders reported progress on a deal to transfer sentenced prisoners, which
could mean Schapelle Corby serves out her sentence in Australia.
The deaths of Australian newsmen at Balibo in 1975 were raised, with the president
expressing sympathy over the incident.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott praised Indonesia, but took a veiled swipe at federal
Labor over border protection.
"People smuggling has started again and we can stop it again," he told the chamber
before the president's speech.
Dr Yudhoyono and his entourage have flown to Sydney. He will meet business leaders
on Thursday before flying out in the evening.