Perspectives on Australian foreign policy, 2004

Abstract

The most fundamental challenges facing Australian foreign policy in 2005 are much the same as those of 2004. Centrally, these include Australia's continued role in Iraq; its approach to the 'war on terror'; its response to the possible development of WMDs in countries such as Iran and particularly North Korea; its position on the broader regional security dynamics in east Asia, specifically the question of China's role in the evolving balance of power; its response to multi-lateral cooperation and trans-national issues; and its involvement in regional security, economic and political cooperation and architecture. In all these issues, the extent of primacy given to the US alliance is crucial. This is self-evident in the case of Iraq, the war on terror and Australia's approach to other rogue, or 'axis of evil', states. It is also particularly apparent in the case of China's role in regional security dynamics of east Asia, especially regarding Australia's interests in encouraging the US to seek the 'peaceful integration of China into the global system'. While less self-evident, the primacy of the US alliance is no less of a factor in making sense of Australia's approach to various trans-national issues, including the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Finally, as the preceding discussion has noted, Australia's relationship with the US has had and will continue to have a demonstrable effect on Australia's regional engagement, for all the government's rhetoric about the false dichotomy of history and geography. Fundamentally, then, the central question for Australian foreign policy in 2005 is: will Australia's foreign affairs continue to be approached with the imperative of supporting the United States as the central determinant of what constitutes the 'national interest'?