"With the officially opening of the relations, both countries have wider opportunities."New York (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has established diplomatic relations with Nauru, a country in the Pacific region, to expand bilateral cooperation in several sectors, including climate change, disaster management and south-to-south cooperation.
"The diplomatic ties were officially established with the signing of a joint communiqu by the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Desra Percaya, and the Nauruan Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Marlene Moses, at the Permanent Mission of Indonesia Republic (PTRI) to the United Nations in New York on Friday," the PTRI said in a statement issued here during the weekend.
Ambassador Moses expressed appreciation for the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Pacific countries.
"The people of Pacific countries remember and appreciate the way Indonesia led the climate change discussion at the UN. The discussion resulted in an agreement that was in the interests of Pacific countries, particularly in view of global warming that is threatening their existence," Marlene Moses said.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Desra noted that both countries had "interacted and collaborated on several issues at the UN and other international forums".
"With the officially opening of the relations, both countries have wider opportunities to strengthen and deepen cooperation in various sectors," he pointed out.
Desra said the establishment of diplomatic relations with Nauru is part of Indonesia`s efforts to enhance cooperation with countries in the Pacific region in order to speed up progress and increase prosperity in the region.
"Indonesia has been cooperating with neighbouring countries in the Pacific region in the area of capacity building. We will continue to explore cooperation opportunities in other sectors as well," he stated.
With the establishment of ties with Nauru, Indonesia has established diplomatic relations with 182 of the 193 UN member states.
In 2010, the Indonesia Parliament had approved the establishment of diplomatic relations with 21 UN member states.
The PTRI in New York said Indonesia established diplomatic relations with nine countries - Mauritania, El Salvador, San Marino, Montenegro, the Dominican Republic, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Antigua and Barbuda, as well as Bhutan - last year.
This year, Indonesia set up diplomatic ties with Botswana, Tuvalu, Haiti and Nauru.
(Uu.B019/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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