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RI to pursue migrant workers, border issues at ASEAN summit
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Indonesia would pursue four main issues â migrant workers, borders, maritime cooperation and consular aid â during the 26th ASEAN Summit that officially begins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday
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oreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Indonesia would pursue four main issues ' migrant workers, borders, maritime cooperation and consular aid ' during the 26th ASEAN Summit that officially begins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday.
'The first thing is regarding the importance for ASEAN countries to have a legal instrument to protect migrant workers,' she said after attending a gala dinner for ASEAN delegations at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Sunday night.
Around 2.5 million Indonesian migrant workers work as domestic helpers and gardeners and on construction projects and oil-palm plantations in Malaysia, while around 500,000 others work as housemaids and gardeners in Singapore.
Retno said the second thing was the importance of ASEAN countries forging cooperation in the maritime field.
She said that Indonesia would give a strong emphasis to the importance of ASEAN countries expediting a peaceful settlement of their border problems.
'Because ASEAN countries are neighboring and bordering, on land and sea, Indonesia will ask all member countries to settle the border problems in the region,' she said as quoted by Antara news agency.
The minister said that Indonesia would also pursue a mechanism or procedure on how to provide diplomatic assistance to citizens of crisis-torn countries.
She said the summit would give more attention to handling internal issues in the region. (rms)(++++)
