Australia and the Bandung Conference
First published in The Canberra Times on April 27, 2005.
Two events in Asia serve as a powerful reminder of the challenges facing Australia in relating to the region. The first is the 50th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, being now being held in Jakarta; and the second is the East Asia Summit to be held sometime this year. Australia has not been invited to either gathering (although it was apparently invited to the Jakarta meeting as an observer)..