VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP) of the House of Representatives​​​​​​​ (DPR), Fadli Zon (left), and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday (February 23, 2024). (ANTARA/HO-BKSAP DPR RI) - 

Voinews, Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP) of the House of Representatives (DPR), Fadli Zon, has underlined the need to boost connectivity and people-to-people connections between Indonesia and Azerbaijan.

"Relations between Indonesia and Azerbaijan have been quite strong so far, but we need to increase connectivity and people-to-people connections," he said during a bilateral meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, according to an official statement received here on Saturday.

The two countries need to increase connectivity and people-to-people connections in social, cultural, economic, and other strategic aspects, Zon expounded.

One of the things that needs to be highlighted, he said, is the potential for tourism cooperation, considering that Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world with a host of tourism potentials.

As one of the initiators of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), a global forum for countries committed to peace who are not in alliance with any bloc, Indonesia has its own space in the international arena, Zon observed.

He said that Indonesia has become a role model for countries that uphold the principle of being free and active in their foreign policy.

According to him, through the Bilateral Cooperation Group (GKSB) of the DPR-Parliament of Azerbaijan, the two countries have knitted a fairly close interaction.

"That way, it (the group) is expected to become a foundation for strengthening the bilateral cooperation framework of the two countries in order to achieve common goals," he said.

Meanwhile, Bayramov welcomed the potential for cooperation between Indonesia and Azerbaijan, especially in tourism.

He also congratulated Indonesia for having held its elections safely, peacefully, and democratically. This condition, he said, is expected to strengthen bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Indonesia in the latter's new leadership era//ANTARA-VOI

View of Kijing Port in Mempawah District, West Kalimantan. (ANTARA/Dedi) - 

Voinews, Pontianak (ANTARA) - Pelindo II Pontianak General Manager, Hambar Wiyadi, stated that Poland expressed a high level of interest in palm shells in West Kalimantan to be used as raw material source for producing its renewable energy.

"The Polish Embassy has visited West Kalimantan and seen port activities. They are interested in the potential of palm shells as raw materials for renewable energy," Wiyadi remarked in Pontianak, Saturday.

He explained that from the port side, export activities to various countries are ready, especially through the Kijing Terminal Port in Mempawah District.

"Dwikora Port cannot be docked by large ships because it is shallow. However, Kijing Port allows depths of up to 16 meters," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of Mission of the Polish Embassy, Piotr Firlus, stated that so far, Poland has received energy sources, such as coal from Indonesia, which is from Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Currently, environmentally-friendly energy sources, such as palm shells, are being explored.

"We saw and heard that West Kalimantan is a fairly large producer of palm shells and has a new port that is quite large and can accommodate large ships. Hence, this is a great potential for synergy with each other," he affirmed.

He explained that the Republic of Poland is a country located in the central European continent. Rusia's war with Ukraine has had an impact on the need for energy supplies, both for industry and households.

As extreme temperatures are recorded in Poland during winter, it requires extensive energy supplies for fulfilling the people's needs.

"To meet these needs, Poland still has a bit of dependency, where import and export activities to meet the needs of the Polish population mostly still go through the Rotterdam Port of Dutch because there is the center of transshipment for large ships and the center of the energy industry," he explained//ANTARA-VOI

VOI News : Indonesian Minister of Manpower,  Ida Fauziyah was the guest of honor at the celebration of the 63rd Kuwait National Day and the 33rd Kuwait Liberation Day in Jakarta  on Friday (24/2).

In her speech, Minister Ida Fauziyah  pointed out that Kuwait has become the second home for more than 6,100 Indonesian citizens.   She hopes that more professional and skilled workers from Indonesia will work in Kuwait.

“I am happy to know that Kuwait is also a second home for more than 6,100 Indonesian citizens in Kuwait. Approximately,  2,850 Indonesian residents or more than 46% of this number are professional and skilled workers who work in the oil, health and hospitality sectors," She pointed out.

Furthermore, Minister  Ida Fauziyah  revealed that the bilateral trade between Indonesia and Kuwait has shown promising results.  Trade volume in 2023 was recorded to have increased by 60% compared to last year, even slightly exceeding the pre-pandemic trade volume by 2019. 

Minister Ida also expressed her gratitude to the government of Kuwait in supporting the implementation of the 2024 elections in Kuwait, in which 54% of approximately 3,600 registered voters exercised their voting rights. (Rama-Mar/AF-Rhm)

VOI News : Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi delivered Indonesia's oral statement in support of the  advisory opinion of the International Court regarding the legal consequences of Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine.  In the oral statement delivered in the Hague, the Netherlands on  Friday (23/2),  Minister Retno Marsudi outlined various arguments as input and strengthened the granting of an advisory opinion  by the International Court. 

In the statement delivered after the oral statement, she also  explained that there were two main aspects in Indonesia's oral statement. First, it’s from the jurisdiction side and Second, it’s in terms of substance. Minister Retno Marsudi also affirmed that the International Court has the authority to issue legal fatwa.  She also emphasized that various Israeli policies are contrary to international laws and outlined the legal consequences.

“Firstly, I start the argument  which is related to jurisdiction. I confirm that the International Court of Justice has jurisdiction to provide an advisory opinion. I also affirm that there is no reason whatsoever for the International Court of Justice not to provide its opinion because this is in accordance with the legal jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice,” She said.

Moreover, Minister Retno also explained three reasons behind this argument. First, giving a legal fatwa does not interfere with the peace negotiation process because currently, there is no ongoing negotiation process. On the contrary, what happens is that Israel continues to constantly violate all the provisions of international laws, and ignores decisions of the UN Security Council. 

Second, the legal fatwa of the International Court is not intended to draw final conclusions from the current conflict, because the solution to the conflict can only be carried out through negotiations.  However, the legal fatwa would make it easier for the UN General Assembly to take a position according to its function related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Third, the legal fatwa of the International Court will positively assist the peace process by presenting additional legal elements for a comprehensive resolution of the conflict.

Meanwhile in the second argument related to the substance of the legal fatwa, Minister Retno Marsudi conveyed that the Palestinian people have the rights to self-determination so that all parties are obliged to fulfill that rights (erga omnes), including Israel.

“Regarding the substance of the Advisory Opinion itself, I convey that the Court has clearly conveyed that Palestinian self-determination is no longer an issue, which means it has been confirmed that self-determination is legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. This is reinforced by various decisions of the Security Council and also the UN General Assembly,” She conveyed.

Furthermore, Minister Retno Marsudi presented four reasons for this argument.  First, the Israeli occupation was carried out as a result of the use of unjustified violence.  Second, Israel has carried out illegal annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) or the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Third, Israel continues to expand illegal settlements.  Fourth, Israel has implemented a policy of apartheid or separation based on skin color towards the Palestinian people, as can be seen from the implementation of two different policy regimes for Jews and Palestinians.

At the end of the oral statement, Minister Retno Marsudi affirmed that there is no country that is above the law. She also invited the international community not to allow Israel to continue its illegal actions.  She also emphasized that the world and the international community have high hopes for the International Court of Justice. (Ndy-Mar/AF-Rhm)