Dethi Silvidah Gani, Representative of Information, Social and Cultural Affairs of Indonesias Embassy in London, told ANTARA, Thursday, that Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Field MP had conveyed the appreciation during a meeting with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Reception of the 50th ASEAN Anniversary in Lancaster House, Stable Yard Street, James, London, England.
On the sidelines of the celebration of the 50th ASEAN Anniversary that was held by the British Government, Kalla received a courtesy call from Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Field, MP.
Kalla stated that the crisis in Rakhine State, Myanmar, was quite a concern for the British government and its people.
Field visited Myanmar last September to explore cooperation with the government of Myanmar to resolve the conflict.
In addition to this, Kalla said that Indonesias strategic approach with the government of Myanmar had succeeded in opening the path for humanitarian assistance.
Indonesia and Britain could also work together to find the best solution to Rakhine States problem.
In a bilateral context, Field expressed his hope to improve the cooperation of Indonesia and Britain in various fields, including trade, investment, defense and education.
"Britain considers Indonesia as an important partner, especially after the Brexit," he said.
British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson was present at the reception and during the meeting with Kalla.
During the meeting, Johnson lauded Indonesias role in the region and affirmed Britains commitment to improve relations with ASEAN.
He also welcomed the increasing number of Indonesian students in the United Kingdom, including those who received scholarships from both government: LPDP and Chevening Awards.
Johnson said that it was a memorable experience to have had ridden the bicycle with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during the Car Free Day in Jakarta while Johnson had served as the Mayor of London.
Britain was the fourth largest trading partner for Indonesia among the European countries with a trade value of US$2.48 billion in 2016. In terms of investment, Britain was ranked as the 13th largest investor in Indonesia, with an investment value of $306 million in 2016.
There were about 42,000 Indonesian citizens who had visited England in 2016.
Meanwhile, the number of Indonesian students studying in the United Kingdom had reached 4,700 people in 2016, including 2,303 LPDP scholarship recipients.
In contrast, Britain was Europes largest contributor of tourist arrivals to Indonesia with 328,000 people in 2016. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
