VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo stressed the need to maintain the partnership between Indonesia and the United States when he received a visit from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Thursday.

"In the meeting, the President said that Indonesia is partnering and good friends with America. Indonesia wants America to be Indonesia's true friend, this cannot be taken for granted," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, in a virtual press conference after accompanying the President received the US Foreign Minister in Bogor, Thursday.

The Foreign Minister said that President Jokowi stated that the Indonesia-US partnership must be maintained, and to maintain this partnership, serious efforts, mutual understanding, and efforts to show concrete cooperation, including cooperation in the economy.

"The President emphasized that Indonesia wants to see economic cooperation between the two countries increase, including of course the hope of extending GSP facilities to Indonesia," explained the Foreign Minister.

In addition, the Foreign Minister said, President Jokowi also wants defense cooperation with the United States to increase and the president wants to see America understand the interests of developing countries and the interests of Muslim countries.

The President said that Indonesia appealed to the United States to also understand Southeast Asia and together with Southeast Asia countries to create peace, stability, and cooperation in the region," he said. (Antaranews)