"We would put forward the maritime concept at the summit meeting through the ASEAN Maritime Forum," Retno Marsudi said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said she would push for the realization of the vision to make Indonesia the worlds maritime axis.

The concept would be put forward in bilateral, regional and international meetings, to bring to reality the maritime vision of the government, Retno said.

"We will seek to carry out the programs and mission given by the president and push for their realization," she said in her first news conference as a new foreign minister.

She said the issue would be raised in a number of international meetings such as the ASEAN summit meeting to be held in Myanmar on Nov. 12-13.

"We would put forward the maritime concept at the summit meeting through the ASEAN Maritime Forum," she said.

There are more summit meetings to be held this year such as the Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) in Nov. 10-11 in China, and the G20 summit meeting in Nov. 15-16 in Australia.

"The summit meetings would offer an opportunity for Indonesia to explain to the world the countrys development plans including the maritime concept," Retno said.

She said she already asked for holding a number of bilateral meetings during the summit meetings.

"We would explain what Indonesia wants," she added.

She said the foreign ministry would prepare the Standard Operation Procedure and rule of engagement over maritime areas of which no border agreement has been reached.

In addition the foreign ministry will also call for bilateral or regional cooperation to establish maritime connectivity and to facilitate sea lane expansion, she said.

"We have to move with our identity as a maritime country. Therefore we would push for the acceptance of the concept of world maritime axis and maritime cooperation with a number of other archipelago countries," Retno said.

Retno Marsudi, former Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands, was named foreign minister to replace Marty Natalegawa.

She is the countrys first woman foreign minister.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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