Public Seminar 'Russia’s Defence Cooperation with Indonesia: Implications for Australia and the Region?'

Tuesday 5 May 2009, 1:00-2:00pm
at Room 212, Level 2, 234 Queensberry Street, The University of Melbourne

presented by

Dr. Alexey D. Muraviev

(Strategic Affairs analyst, School of Social Sciences and Asian Languages, Curtin University of Technology)

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Abstract

The period of 2007-08 may prove to be a turning point in the development of strategic relations between Russia and Indonesia. The September 2007 visit of then Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to Jakarta marked a culmination in what was a long and complex process of reanimating bilateral strategic ties between the two countries.

Under Sukarno in the 1950s and the 1960s, the Soviet Union was the principal provider of the military assistance to Indonesia. The following decades marked a period of political ‘stagnation’ in bilateral strategic links, which were only reanimated in mid-1990s.

The twenty first century Russia assumes a more active role in international politics, positions itself as a global power pole. In the Asia-Pacific, the nation is expanding its sphere of influence and has identified Southeast Asia as an area of national interests and of growing significance for Russia.

Russia’s military-technical cooperation with Indonesia complements existing ties with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam; links with the Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore, thus positioning the nation as one of the principal actors in the regional defence market.

Indonesia intends to become Russia’s long-term client in the sphere of military-technical cooperation. Russia’s willingness to sell Indonesia advanced military hardware under special arrangements (such as state defence loan schemes), non-interference in the country’s internal politics (particularly, in relation to human rights violations), and the previous history in bilateral contacts in this sphere positions it strongly as a long-term strategic partner.

If the initiated modernisation of the armed forces with Russia’s assistance would succeed Indonesia would be able to improve defensive and attack (including strategic strike) capabilities in the area critical to international and Australian shipping.

Bio

Alexey D. Muraviev is a strategic affairs analyst at Curtin University of Technology. He is an award-winning lecturer in International Relations and Strategic Studies in the School of Social Sciences and Asian Languages at Curtin. He is also Coordinator of Politics and International Relations undergraduate and postgraduate program at Curtin

He has over 30 publications on matters of national and international security, including two books and one research monograph.

He has published in the Sea Power Centre - Australia and Strategic and Defence Studies (ANU) series, Defense Analysis, The Naval Herald, Jane's Intelligence Review, Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter, The Navy, Australian National Security Review, Strategic Policy and other publications.

His research interests include problems of modern maritime power, contemporary defence and strategic policy, Russia’s strategic and defence policy, Russia is a Pacific power, transnational terrorism, Australian national security, and other.

Alexey is a member of the Australian Member Committee, Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region (AU-CSCAP), research fellow, Contemporary Europe Research Centre (University of Melbourne), member of the editorial board, Sea Power Centre - Australia (Royal Australian Navy), Co-Chair, Perth Strategy Group, reviewer of the Military Balance, member of the Research Network for Secure Australia, member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Royal United Services Institute of Western Australia, International Humanitarian Law Committee, Australian Red Cross (West Australian Division), and other organisations and think tanks.

In 2007 and 2008, the Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts has nominated Dr Muraviev as an “expert of international standing”.

He advices members of state and federal government on foreign policy and national security matters and is frequently interviewed by state, national and international media.

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