VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Abu Dhabi - Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) expect the political tensions in the Middle East region to decrease after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. "We exchanged ideas, I met with the UAE Foreign Minister and we discussed that. We don't want the situation in the Middle East to get worse," Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi Sunday night.

She was speaking after accompanying President Joko Widodo on a number of state agendas at Qasr Al Watan Palace along with UAE Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Zayed (MBZ).

All parties were worried by the rising political escalation in the region, especially the UAE which was close to the conflicting regions, Marsudi said.

"I think everyone is worried because they are closer to the conflicting regions. We are also worried about the conflict. The war will not benefit anyone. It will have a definite effect on the world economy," she said.

Even the UAE Crown Prince and President Widodo during the meeting also briefly addressed the issue.

"Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Zayed and President Joko Widodo discuss the issue, but not much. Because, the discussion focused on the economy," she remarked.

If there was a war, the increase in political tensions would be very detrimental. For Indonesia, the most directly affected would be their citizens living abroad, according to Retno.

"According to the data, more than 400 Indonesian citizens stay in Iran while the number in Iraq is 800," she said.

For this reason, the foreign minister expected the tension could be reduced.

However, the foreign ministry had prepared a number of contingency plans including opening a crisis center and hotline that could be contacted at any time by Indonesian citizens.

"So, we are trying to send a message to reduce the escalation," the minister said.  (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Malaysia began its year-long hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Putrajaya City, according to a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received in Jakarta on Monday.

Nearly 1,500 policymakers, business leaders, and academics from 21 APEC member economies will congregate in Malaysia’s administrative capital to deliberate on and advance a policy agenda for the region’s most pressing issues in the digital era, including multilateralism, trade and investment, human capital development, and sustainability.

The dozens of fora will converge here, guided by the theme "Optimising Human Potential towards a Future of Shared Prosperity" to prioritize the year’s priorities: improving the narrative of trade and investment; inclusive economic participation through the digital economy and technology; and driving innovative sustainability.

"Shared Prosperity is the idea that focuses on creating more inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure trade and investment, as regional cooperation can be fruitful for narrowing inequalities within and among economies," Hairil Yahri Yaacob, the chair of APEC 2020 Senior Officials, stated.

Constituting 60 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), APEC economies play a noteworthy role in propelling global economic growth.

Established in 1989, the APEC also marks the start of a new era in 2020, as the forum finalizes a renewed vision for the coming decades.

"The last 30 years have shown that regional cooperation is essential in addressing common challenges. The APEC is stronger when we support each other to rise above shared vulnerabilities," Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, stated. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita requested the Transportation Ministry to provide a transitional period for the industry to adjust its freight vehicles after the ministry revised a transport regulation restricting overdimension and overload (ODOL) trucks.

"What we need is at least an adequate transitional period. Hence, the industry can have sufficient time to adjust its freight transport," Kartasasmita stated in Jakarta on Monday.

Kartasasmita elaborated that industries will have to prepare new types of trucks for transportation, and this would be viewed as additional investment.

"This is an issue that will necessitate a common perception. Another aspect that should be underlined is that we can understand the policy of zero ODOL in terms of land transportation safety," he remarked.

According to the minister, a restriction on ODOL will increase the logistical costs and affect production costs that will ultimately also affect the industry's competitiveness.

"In connection with the industry's operation, the policy will reduce the competitiveness of products," he noted.

In the meantime, Secretary General of the Industry Ministry Achmad Sigit Dwiwahjono affirmed that the Transportation Ministry has yet to respond to his ministry's letter.

He expressed hope that other modes of transportation, including train and sea, would be optimized as logistical transportation for the national industry. (ANTARA)

Moscow - The third meeting of the Russian-Sri Lankan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation will be held in Moscow in the second half of the year, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday ahead of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to the South Asian country.
Lavrov will hold talks with Sri Lanka's president, prime minister and foreign minister on Tuesday.
"The Russian-Sri Lankan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic and scientific and technical cooperation is aimed at promoting further growth of bilateral trade and investment​​​. Its first meeting was held in Moscow in February 2016, while the second meeting was held in Colombo in October 2017, and the next meeting of the commission should be held in Moscow in the second half of 2020," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, the Russian-Sri Lankan trade amounted to $400.1 million in 2018 and to $327.8 million in the period between January 2019 and October of that year. While Sri Lanka exports to Russia food and agriculture stocks, Russia exports to the country products of the metallurgical, chemical and cellulose-and-paper industries, as well as food, wood and mineral products. (Sputnik)