... The region's future stability will depend on the code of conduct. The longer the process takes, the longer the conflict will exist... "Jakarta (ANTARA News) - On Monday, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa met the US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss ways to improve bilateral cooperation and evaluate the current situation of the South China Sea conflict.
The Monday meeting coincided with the 4th Joint Commission Meeting, which is held annually to review the progress of relations between the two nations after the establishment of the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership since 2010.
"We discussed ways to create conditions, which will be conducive for investment to both countries," Natalegawa stated at a press conference after his meeting with Kerry.
Apart from investment, he noted that they had deliberated on matters related to the progress of cooperation in sectors such as trade, education, climate change, and energy.
"I and State Secretary Kerry agree that in the future, all issues relating to bilateral cooperation will be managed in the spirit of problem solving. We want to identify the challenges related to developing bilateral cooperation as early as possible, so that it will not disturb us in the future," he added.
Meanwhile, the state secretary expressed his support to Indonesia's leadership in promoting peace and security in the Southeast Asian region.
However, Kerry emphasized the need for an immediate solution to the border conflict in the South China Sea between some ASEAN member countries and China, where the claimant parties were still negotiating a code of conduct, which is expected to minimize conflicts in the area.
"The region's future stability will depend on the code of conduct. The longer the process takes, the longer the conflict will exist," Kerry noted.
Reporter: Amie Arimbi
Editor: Ade P Marboen
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