SBY meets Chinese FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Yiechi, left, is greeted by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono prior to their meeting at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday. (AP/Dita Alangkara)

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the Presidential Office on Friday, but the talks did not delve into specific issues such as South China Sea dispute or the tensions in Syria.

“What we have today as strategic partners is good. We have to show the world that we have a good model to maintain our bilateral relations, friendship and cooperation,” Yudhoyono told Chinese officials before conducting the meeting behind closed doors.

Among the Chinese delegations were Chinese Ambassador for Indonesia Liu Jianchao, Asian Affairs director general Luo Zhaohui, and deputy director general La Yifan.

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who accompanied the President in the meeting, said the discussion between Yudhoyono and Jiechi was “general.”

Marty, however, acknowledged that Yudhoyono managed to raise a number of important regional and global issues such as the tension in the Korean Peninsula, the implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the ASEAN-China cooperation, and the crisis in Syria.

“On Syria, the President conveyed his wish to end the violence as soon as possible, setting aside the issues concerning who might take over the Syrian government,” Marty said.

Presidential foreign affairs spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that Yudhoyono also told Jiechi that he hoped that China, as one of the “big five” at the UN Security Council, could play significant role to end the crisis in the Middle Eastern country.

Two weeks ago, Russia and China vetoed for the third time a Western-backed UN Security Council resolution that threatened Syrian authorities with sanctions if they did not stop using heavy weapons against their uprising and withdraw troops from towns and cities.

The vetoes prompted Yudhoyono to hold a special press conference in which he slammed the effectiveness of the UN’s efforts in stopping the 16-month conflict in the Middle Eastern country.

“Those holding veto rights: the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK have yet to find a consensus. They were debating about who will lead [Syria] in the future, whether it is Assad or not. I am saying that it is very improper only to debate that issue while the situation continues to worsen,” the President said at the time.

From the Presidential Office, Jiechi is set to co-chair the second meeting of the Indonesia-China Intergovernmental Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation with Marty at the latter’s office in Central Jakarta.

From Indonesia, Jiechi is scheduled continue his state journey to Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia. (iwa)