VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo offered cooperation with the theme of diversity and tolerance to the United States. This was conveyed when he received the visit of US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo on Sunday at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
In his remarks, President Joko Widodo said that Indonesia was the largest country in the Southeast Asia region as well as the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world.

Nevertheless, President Joko Widodo said, Indonesia and many other nations in the world, still face challenges in maintaining the existing diversity.

"The challenge faced by all nations today is how to maintain diversity with mutual respect for each other. And it is this theme of diversity and tolerance that I have continuously put forward so far,” said President Joko Widodo.

Meanwhile, Michael Richard Pompeo expressed American appreciation to Indonesia as a strategic partner for the United States. According to him, the United States respects the democratic values ​​of the Indonesian people. Democracy, according to Pompeo, is an invaluable treasure for Americans.

It is the first visit of the US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo to Indonesia after being sworn in by President Donald Trump replacing Rex Tillerson, April 27. Pompeo's 2-day visit to Indonesia was part of a series of visits to Asia after visiting Malaysia and Singapore. During the meeting, President Joko Widodo was accompanied by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Budi Bowoleksono and several other officials. (VOI / Ndy / AHM)

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo in Jakarta, Saturday (4/8). During the meeting which lasted for approximately 30 minutes, the two Foreign Ministers discuss various issues related to bilateral relations between the two countries as well as regional and global issues. One of them is the issue related to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Through a press statement, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said many parties including Indonesia appreciated the positive steps taken by North Korea and the US to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

“We are talking about issues of North Korea especially in the context of how to make the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear. The topic of the Korean Peninsula appeared in several meetings in ASEAN. There also emerged several elements, such as an element of good welcome from all parties in the meeting, and positive steps. There are two things of positive steps, namely two Inter-Korean meetings and a meeting between President Trump and Chairman Kim, in Singapore,” Retno Marsudi said.

Foreign Minister Retno furthermore said that all parties involved in the meeting hoped that denuclearization and peace efforts involving two Korean countries, namely South Korea and South Korea as well as the United States, can run well. During the time, the development of the peace process between North Korea and South Korea and the US continues to show positive improvement. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) currently reported that North Korea had begun a process to reduce tensions, and build trust with South Korea and the US. (VOI/Rezha/Trs.N)

The Indonesian Minister Retno Marsudi reiterated that the two state solutions is the only solution to achieve peace in Palestine. This was stated by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi at a bilateral meeting with the United States Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo in Jakarta, Saturday (4/8). According to a press statement given by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, the US State Secretary Pompeo did not reject the two-state solution offered by Indonesia. However, it is needed time to compile a peace plan regarding the Palestinian issue.

“He stated that of course the Palestinian situation is not an easy situation. But when I mentioned the two state solutions I saw he agreed the two state solutions is the answer or the only solution. So he did not reject the two state solution policy. However he said that it still need time to make a peace plan on the Palestinian issue,” Retno Marsudi said.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also emphasized to the State Secretary Michael Richard Pompeo that the community and Indonesian Government had great attention and support for the realization of peace in Palestine, especially through the two-state solution. The two state solutions was built especially to reach an independent Palestinian state and decided Israeli region on the west of Jordan River. The solution was determined by the UN General Assembly resolution 194 adopted on December 11, 1948. In addition to the two-state solution, the resolution 194 also stipulates the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their hometown which currently occupied by Israel. Regarding efforts to achieve peace in Palestine, the US President Donald Trump has formed a special team to draft peace proposals between Palestine and Israel. According to President Trump, the peace plan will be an important history, as the "Agreement of the Century". (VOI/Rezha/NT)

The US State Secretary Michael Richard Pompeo on Saturday (4/8) visited Indonesia for a bilateral visit. The state visit is part of a series of bilateral visits of the US State Secretary to Southeast Asia. Arriving in Jakarta, Michael Richard Pompeo who was accompanied by several delegates directly came to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold a meeting with the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the 70th anniversary of Indonesia-US diplomatic relations next-year was discussed at the meeting which lasted for approximately 30 minutes. In particular, the theme proposed by Indonesia for the commemoration is 'Celebrate Our Diversity Prosper Together as Strategic Partner'.

“Next year Indonesia and the United States will celebrate their 70th diplomatic relations. I’ve said earlier that for next year's commemoration, the theme proposed by Indonesia is “Celebrate our Diversity, Prosper Together as Strategic Partners”. Indonesia and the United States are partners in developing the values ​​of democracy, pluralism and tolerance, Indonesia as the world's most populous Muslim country, as the third largest democracy country in the world and one of the 20 countries with the largest GDP, certainly has a strategic position in the international relations,” Retno Marsudi said.

On the same occasion Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also said that ASEAN-US economic relations would benefit both parties. The relationship is mainly in the field of trade and investment. The annual economic growth of ASEAN countries is still more than five percent. Therefore, according to Retno Marsudi ASEAN has considerable potential and capacity, so that ASEAN's trade and investment relations with the US will benefit both parties. On the occasion, Retno Marsudi also told Richard Pompeo on ASEAN-US trade data for the past 10 years. In the past 10 years, US exports to ASEAN have shown a fairly good increase. US investment in ASEAN is the fourth largest, while the figure of ASEAN investment in the US is also quite large. (VOI/Rezha/NT)