Marsudi began the briefing, which was attended by the high echelons of the Ministry and Foreign Affairs and media, by highlighting several prominent issues of concern in Indonesia.
The first was Indonesias concern in solving the humanitarian crisis in Myanmars Rakhine State.
"During the last six weeks, Indonesias diplomatic mission had been fully active to run a humanitarian task to help solve the crisis in the Rakhine State," Marsudi stated.
Indonesia was the first country to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh after a new cycle of violence began on Aug 25.
Indonesia has suggested a 4+1 formula that is expected to be adopted by the Myanmar Government to resolve the crisis.
The 4+1 formula includes the four main elements, including restoring the stability and security; maximizing self-restraint and avoiding the use of force; protecting all the citizens of Myanmar, irrespective of ethnicity and religion; as well as opening immediate access for humanitarian assistance.
Indonesia has also sent eight sorties of Hercules planes to carry humanitarian aid to Bangladesh and two sorties to Myanmar.
The second issue highlighted by Marsudi was Indonesias diplomacy to support the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
"The struggle of Palestine has become the very heart of Indonesias policy," Marsudi noted.
Indonesias Honorary Consulate in Ramallah was established in 2016 and has become a path for closer relations with the Palestinian people.
The peace in Jerusalem has also become Indonesias concern that it hosted the Fifth Extraordinary OIC Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in Jakarta in 2016 and attended the OIC executive committee discussing Jerusalem in Istanbul in August 2017.
The third issue highlighted by Marsudi was regarding Indonesias policy on the protection of citizens overseas.
During the last three years, as many as 27,341 cases involving Indonesian citizen overseas have been solved, while 144 Indonesians have escaped death sentence.
The government has repatriated 181,942 Indonesians who had problem overseas, including those who overstayed.
As many as 16,426 Indonesians have also been evacuated from conflict areas and areas hit by natural disasters overseas, while 31 Indonesians have been rescued from armed groups in the Philippines and Somalia.
Moreover, the government has also returned Rp388 billion worth of financial rights to its rightful owners, Indonesians workers overseas.
In term of maintaining its sovereignty, Indonesias foreign policy has led to several negotiations on land and maritime border with neighboring countries.
"We are committed to intensify negotiations. Negotiation on a countrys border is not an easy task. It takes a long time," Marsudi explained.
She revealed that in 2015, Indonesia has had nine negotiations on maritime border with the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Palau, and Timor Leste, and 14 negotiations on land border.
In 2016, at least 20 negotiations on maritime border and 16 negotiations on land borders had taken place.
Indonesia has also ratified an agreement on sea border between Indonesia and Singapore on Dec 15 2016.
The government has also inked an MoU on survey and demarcation between Indonesia and Malaysia for Kalimantan and Sabah.
Indonesia is now in the final phase of the unresolved segment of the land border negotiation with Timor Leste.
This year, Indonesia has ratified two agreements in maritime borders, one between Indonesia and Singapore on sea border and the other between Indonesia and the Philippines on Exclusive Economic Zone.
In term of economic diplomacy, Marsudi revealed that Indonesia has improved its investment grade and opened non-traditional markets in Africa, South and Central Asia, as well as South America.
Indonesia is committed to improve its cooperation with partner countries through intensifying Preferential Trade Agreement, aimed to reduce trade tariff, and intensifying negotiations on Free Trade Agreement and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
Marsudi also highlighted Indonesias contribution to promote world peace.
Indonesia has initiated a trilateral meeting and sub-regional meeting to address thearmed conflict in Marawi City, the Philippines.
Indonesia has also sent 2,871 troops to UN peacekeeping operations worldwide in 2017.
Other important milestones were the adoption of the framework a Code of Conduct on South China Sea between ASEAN and China and the realization of the first IORA Summit in Jakarta in 2017.
"These are the main pictures of what we have achieved and done. Indonesia will continue to work without commotion to stand up for its national interest as well as contribute to accomplish the worlds stability, peace, and welfare," Marsudi remarked.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
