The statement was conveyed during the session of Sesparlu (School for Staff and Leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 59th class at the Center of Education and Training Building, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a statement received here on Friday.
Marty said the ASEAN should improve the capacity of crisis management, in particular, by being faster in dealing with issues of conflict and human rights.
It was recommended that the Permanent Representative Committee for ASEAN (CPR) might be changed into the Peace and Security Council, as the ASEAN Ambassador in Jakarta has had regular meetings to review developments in the region.
"Otherwise, the crisis will pass us by, but the impact may swallow us," he said.
He said the ASEAN peace Agreement, the Amity and Cooperation Agreement in Southeast Asia (TAC), which are committed to ensuring peaceful dispute resolutions without violence, could be expanded to include the Indo-Pacific.
He said this could build on the principle of the East Asia Summit.
Marty also called for greater certainty about the ASEAN Indo-Pacific approach for consistency in policy implementation.
"The ball is in our court and we have to redefine it in order to deliver," he remarked.
He said there are three main challenges facing the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
The first is how to manage the relationship between domestic and international policies.
He said the Foreign Ministry needed to communicate international dynamics in Indonesia, partly by developing a strong policy. Democratization should make Indonesian foreign policy more transparent, more inclusive, and more involved with civil society organizations.
He noted that there is a clear distinction between the democratization and domestication of Indonesia`s foreign policy.
The second is how to manage the relationship between regional and global approaches to the Indo-Pacific, as ASEAN develops a more global view, including its focus on human rights.
The third is dealing with digital diplomacy and the rise of social media. Marty said a strong and disciplined policy is very important in facing challenges. "We need to focus on substance."
R.M. Marty Natalegawa is currently a member of the United Nations High Panel Advisory Panel on Mediation.
(T.A063/A/KR-BSR/A014) 20-07-2018 17:10:10
Reporter: Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
