"We hope the new US administration under Trump will be able to maintain international stability and ensure that the interstate relations will not undergo drastic changes," Wiranto said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government hopes that US President Donald Trumps policies of protectionism and Muslim ban will not disrupt international stability, Coordinating Minister for Political, Law, and Security Wiranto noted.

"We hope the new US administration under Trump will be able to maintain international stability and ensure that the interstate relations will not undergo drastic changes," Wiranto said, during a press conference of the 3rd Indonesia-Australia Ministerial Council Meeting on Law and Security, on Thursday.

Although Indonesia has explicitly stated its stance of non-interference in US domestic policies, Wiranto expressed his hope that the US would remain an open and tolerant country in the context of coexistence between nations.

In line with Wirantos statement, Australian Attorney General George Brandis, who along with him discussed several issues regarding the security and stability in the region, also conveyed his respect for the democratic process in the US to determine its new administration.

However, Australia expected no disturbance in international relations caused by US policies, since the commonwealth country also has the same interest, as Indonesia, to maintain regional stability.

Earlier, US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R Donovan said that Trumps policy, which bans citizens of seven countries from entering the US, focuses on promoting security in the US border areas.

"I think the concern is that Trump wants to review our procedures to ensure that we are providing the appropriate safety and security in our borders," Donovan stated.

Trump had previously signed 10 executive orders over the weekend, one of which was on imposing a ban of entry visa grants to citizens of Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia.

Referring to a statement released by the White House, the ambassador affirmed that the executive order was not about Islam and had nothing to do with religion.

"The executive order is about protecting Americas security and borders, and it is a temporary step for approximately 90 days to review our procedures," he remarked.

He further explained that the US government continuously communicates with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry with regard to the policy.

"We are sharing statements from the White House about the executive order and communicating with the Foreign Ministry. We want all of you to understand that this is not about Islam and not about religion," he reiterated.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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