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US, RI pledge closer, comprehensive ties
The US and Indonesia have pledged to deepen cooperation, with visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telling Indonesia it played a key role in US foreign policy
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The US and Indonesia have pledged to deepen cooperation, with visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telling Indonesia it played a key role in US foreign policy.
In a joint press conference Wednesday after a bilateral meeting with her Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda, Clinton said the US new administration recognized Indonesia’s role in handling global problems, including terrorism, protectionism, climate change and the economic crisis.
“Building a comprehensive partnership with Indonesia is a critical step on behalf of the United States’ commitment to smart power,” she said.
Clinton said it was not an accident her first trip abroad as the top US diplomat included Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, as it was meant to show support for the country’s vibrant democracy and efforts to fight terrorism while respecting human rights.
She said US President Barack Obama’s administration wanted to reach out to the entire world and Indonesia would be an important partner in that effort.
“Certainly Indonesia, being the largest Muslim nation in the world, the third largest democracy, will play a leading role in the promotion of that shared future. So we are looking forward to deepening our cooperation on a number of shared issues,” Clinton said.
Hassan said the US was a very important partner for Indonesia, and their bilateral relations went from strength to strength, with Indonesia having every reason to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
“We have proven here that democracy, Islam and modernity can go hand in hand. And through Indonesia, the United States can reach out to the Muslim world,” he said.
Clinton also pledged a new American openness to ideas from abroad, especially the Muslim world.
“It's important to listen as well as talk to those around the world, to support a country that has demonstrated so clearly that Islam, democracy and modernity cannot only coexist but thrive together,” she said.
She added the US stood ready to help Indonesia deal with the global economic crisis, saying concrete steps toward fostering closer and comprehensive relations had been taken, including the resumption of the Peace Corps program — where American citizens volunteer in villages — as well as cooperation in education by renewing a five-year Fullbright scholarship and agreement to be signed in science and technology.
In trade relations, Hassan said after the press conference that Indonesia expected the US to provide US$5 billion in bilateral swap arrangement and contingency funds to bolster the economy should the crisis hit in the months ahead.
“We need the same amount that other donors and countries, such as the World Bank and Japan, have pledged to us. We need around $5 billion. We may not use the money, but we need it to show the world we have credibility,” he said.
“We hope that during the crisis, the US and the rest of the world will avoid protectionism,” he said.
Clinton and Hassan also discussed how to help resolve various problems, including in the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Clinton, who first came to Indonesia as the US first lady in 1994 with her husband Bill Clinton to attend the APEC summit, will pay a courtesy call on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday before leaving for South Korea later that day.
