VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Related to situation in Syria which  is getting worse, after the air strikes conducted by the United States in Damascus, Syria's capital, the Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to monitor the current situation in the country. The main objective of such monitoring related with thousands of Indonesian citizens still living in Syria. This was stated by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi in Jakarta, on Saturday, April 14.

“Since last week, we have been constantly monitoring the situation, because there are still thousands of Indonesian citizens living in Syria. Therefore we consistently convey the principles of international law. Surely we express our concerns about the current situation in Syria and we also ask all parties to restraint, to avoid an escalation,” said Retno Marsudi.

Minister Retno Marsudi added that Indonesia has made all parties either involved directly or not, to protect the environment and civil society, especially women and children. In addition, Indonesia also continues to emphasize the importance of conflict resolution, negotiation process and peaceful means. Related to the Indonesian citizens residing in Syria, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested that they immediately report themselves and continue to communicate with the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus. (VOI/Rezha/Edt.N)

The Government of Russian Federation Republic is preparing the bilateral visit of Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin to Indonesia scheduled in 2018. Through an extra preparation, it is hoped that the bilateral visit can provide enormous benefits for the people of both countries and of course increase cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially in the fields that have not been explored maximally. This was conveyed by the Ambassador of Russian Federation Republic to Indonesia, H.E Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva in her press conference in Jakarta Friday (13/04/2018).

“This kind of visit need to be prepared very well, so of course before he comes, also off course the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all the agency council will work hard to make the visit very substantial. So, because the purpose of the visit is to boost the relations between the two countries to bring a new quality level to ensure that all fields of cooperation are fully explored. So, we will have to work hard to make this visit, if it is happen great suceess. And it will givee benefit for the people of the two countries,” said Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva.

Related to the exact time of the Russian President’s bilateral visit, Ambassador Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva has not been able to provide further assurance. The Ambassador moreover said that President Vladimir Putin who has just won the 2018 Russian presidential elections, is occupied with inauguration preparations for his victory. All decisions regarding the president's visit will be taken after the inauguration in May 2018. The issue of President Vladimir Putin's visit to Indonesia began to emerge since the Indonesian President Joko Widodo conveyed an invitation to President Putin when the two leaders met in Sochi in 2016. The issue then increased, after Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov last year. (VOI/Rezha/NT)

Rector of Gadjah Mada University-UGM, Panut Mulyono stated that UGM is ready to involve foreign lecturers in his institution to improve the quality of education in Indonesia. After meeting Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Vice President's Office in Jakarta on Thursday (April 12^th), Panut Mulyono disclosed that foreign lecturers' policy is to include the state university as a catalyst to encourage the competence and quality of the local lecturers by learning from foreign lecturers, and establishing educational network with other foreign teachers. The foreign lecturers are also expected to improve the quality of research and technology at the university level in the country.

“So in fact, the presence of foreign lecturers is now used as a catalyst, as our incentive. So, we can also advance faster; the main goal is how the foreign lecturers in Indonesia can bring their networks, their networks abroad, and they can join to enliven a research in Indonesia,” said Panut Mulyono.

Rector Panut Mulyono further explained that foreign lecturers at state universities will be limited in accordance with the needs of the universities. He views that foreign lecturers can open networks of science and funding from abroad. If there are research projects and technologies that require foreign assistance he gives an example of East Kalimantan with methanol factory. 85 percent of the fund derives from foreign capital. But, 100 percent of its workers are local experts who can run well. (KBRN/Rizqi/Trans by Rezha)