"I am delighted to welcome you to the new US Embassy building and am privileged to have the honor of dedicating our new home here in Jakarta, which houses both the US Mission to Indonesia and the US Mission to ASEAN," Ambassador Donovan said.
"This celebration comes at a very opportune time, as this year, we are also celebrating 70 years of diplomatic ties between the United States and Indonesia," he told the attendees of the dedication ceremony.
In his speech at the ceremony which was circulated through the US Embassy's official website, Ambassador Donovan said that the United States was one of the first countries to recognize Indonesia's independence, establishing our first embassy on December 28, 1949.
"When President Truman appointed the first U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, H. Merle Cochran, he reaffirmed US support welcoming Indonesia into the "community of free nations".
The new US Embassy building which is located at 3-5 Medan Merdeka Selatan Street in Central Jakarta "is the latest example of that enduring commitment to our partnership and the Indonesian people", he said.
The partnership between the United States and Indonesia is built on a foundation of shared democratic values and common interests, such as education, sharing expertise, and innovating to create a brighter future, he said.
"You will see examples of that innovation in our new building. In thinking about the design of the building, we wanted to reduce the impact on the environment by taking advantage of all that our location offers," Ambassador Donovan said.
The architects and designers took into consideration Jakarta's climate, including its hot, sunny days, and as a result, the building uses the latest environmental sustainability features that reduce our energy consumption, he said.
Ambassador Donovan also hinted that the US Embassy is currently constructing a heritage building on the site used by a Republic of Indonesia delegation during negotiations for Indonesia's independence with the Dutch in 1949.
"We expect to complete this building along with our consular pavilion by the end of 2019. The end result will be a compound touching on all the areas of our partnership with Indonesia," he said.
EDITED BY INE
Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
