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span class="inline inline-left">Fresh ideas: Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands Retno L.P. Marsudi (center) enters the Noordeinde Palace to submit her credentials to Dutch Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard in The Hague on last Wednesday. Courtesy the Indonesian Embassy in the NetherlandsIndonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Retno L.P. Marsudi, promised to bring fresh ideas and energy to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

“I will promote Indonesia’s interests in the Netherlands as an important partner in trade, investment and tourism as well as a gateway to Europe,” said Retno, a former director general for America and Europe at Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry, in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post from The Hague.

With bilateral trade amounting to US$5 billion annually, the Netherlands is one of Indonesia’s biggest allies in the world. “Therefore, the embassy in The Hague is one of the most important missions for Indonesia. It is a huge responsibility for me, but I’m forever grateful for the opportunity and trust,” she said.

Retno, the first Indonesian female ambassador to the Netherlands, presented her credentials to Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague on Jan. 25.

She conveyed the warmest greetings from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Queen Beatrix, adding that Indonesia was greatly encouraged by the Netherlands’s strong commitment to strengthen the bilateral partnership between both countries based on mutual respect and benefits.

The queen warmly welcomed Retno to the Netherlands and wished her every success in her mission as the Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands.

Underlining the importance of Indonesia for the Netherlands, the queen expressed her high appreciation of the rapid political and economic development in Indonesia.

The Netherlands also expects that bilateral relations between both nations will be improved in the future.

During the ceremony, Retno was accompanied by her husband Agus Marsudi, Embassy’s deputy chief of mission Umar Hadi and other diplomats.