"We express our deepest regrets to President Yudhoyono and the Indonesian people."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The US Secretary of State has said the United States deeply regrets the disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential, "including private discussions between counterparts or our diplomats personal assessments and observations".
The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, passed on her statement to the US ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Jakarta, Friday,
Hillary Clinton also said that the Department of State does not comment on materials, including classified documents, which may have been leaked.
According to the release, the US official foreign policy is not set through these messages, but in Washington.
"Our official foreign policy is not set through these messages, but in Washington. Our policy is a matter of public record, as reflected in our statements and our actions around the world," said Marciel.
Further, Marciel said that any unauthorized disclosure of classified information by Wikileaks has harmful implications for the lives of identified individuals that are jeopardized, but also for global engagement among and between nations.
"Given its potential impact, we condemn such unauthorized disclosures and are taking every step to prevent future security breaches," he said.
"While we cannot speak to the authenticity of any documents provided to the press, we can speak to the diplomatic community`s practice of cable writing. By its very nature, field reporting to Washington is candid and often raw information," he said.
Ambassador Marciel also said that it is preliminary, often incomplete and unsubstantiated. It is not an expression of policy, nor does it always shape final policy decisions. These documents should not be seen as having standing on their own or as representing U.S. policy.
"This type of publication is extremely irresponsible and we express our deepest regrets to President Yudhoyono and the Indonesian people," Marciel said.
As President Obama has noted, the United States is fortunate to have a very strong partner in Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia`s first directly elected president, and a leader who has guided Indonesia through its journey into democracy, he added.
According to Marciel, President Yudhoyono`s leadership has been vital to promoting prosperity, expanding partnerships between the two nations` peoples, and deepening political and security cooperation.
"As the US President Barack Obama said in Jakarta during his visit in November 2010 to jointly launch with President Yudhoyono the Comprehensive Partnership, Indonesia and the United States are bound together by a web of historical, cultural, and economic ties that span the Pacific and by our shared values and aspirations, and our partnership is one of equals, grounded in mutual interests and mutual respect," he stated.
(T.A050/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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