"We have relocated 11 Indonesians to neighboring Romania. This is a mere step to handle the worsening situation," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has moved 11 of its citizens from Ukraine to Romania in the wake of worsening security situation in the former Soviet republic, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa stated.

"We have relocated 11 Indonesians to neighboring Romania. This is a mere step to handle the worsening situation," he noted here on Tuesday.

The 11 Indonesians, most of them children, are members of the families of embassy staffers in Keiv, capital of Ukraine, he pointed out.

In total, 60 Indonesians live in Ukraine, including 31 embassy staffers and members of their families, seven students, 10 migrant workers and Indonesians who have married Ukrainians.

In response to the latest developments in Ukraine, the Indonesian embassy in Kiev has called upon Indonesian citizens not to visit Ukraine and avoid traveling to Crimea, Kharkiv and other eastern Ukraine regions.

Marty expressed concern over the escalating tension in Ukraine.

"We keep abreast of the worsening crisis in Ukraine, which has now evolved into a threat of regional peace and security and a risk of tense relations between countries concerned," he explained.

Where the crisis in Ukraine is concerned, Indonesia always upholds the principle of respecting regional sovereignty and integrity as the basis for establishing relations with other countries, he pointed out.

Indonesia is encouraging all relevant parties to exercise self-restraint, manage crisis in Ukraine and give priority to peaceful settlement of the crisis by abiding with the international law, he added.

Indonesia also called upon the United Nations Security Council to take responsibility for the Ukraine crisis according to the UN Charter as part of efforts to maintain global peace and security.

"It is proper for the UN secretary general to send a special envoy there (to Ukraine)," he elaborated.

Tensions in Ukraine have been escalating after Russian troops took over the strategic Crimea region last Saturday. Since then, international pressure on Russia has been growing.

Russias parliament granted President Vladimir Putin authority to use the military to protect Russian interests in Ukraine, where a new government has been named after demonstrations pushed President Viktor Yanukovych from office.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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