Russia and Britain organized their national days on Wednesday ahead of schedule because the Ramadhan fasting month begins next week, and the two countries did not want their national days to conflict with the fasting month.

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Mikhail Galuzin conveyed his “deep satisfaction” with his country’s improved relations with ASEAN during the recent Russia-ASEAN meeting in Sochi.

Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the declaration of state sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on June 12, 1990, which was declared a national day in Russia in 1992, he also noted Russia’s closer ties with Indonesia following bilateral talks between the two countries’ heads of state.

“I would like to welcome the significant progress in our great relations with friendly Indonesia,” he said.

“The visit of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to Russia on May 18 and his negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined the ways we can promote a whole set of bilateral ties.”

Galuzin touted the two countries’ US$14 billion in economic agreements as a result of Jokowi’s visit.

Among the luminaries present during the reception were Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Deputy Speaker Farouk Muhammad, former Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Djauhari Oratmangun, Gerindra Party politician Hashim Djojohadikusumo and Golkar Party legislator Tantowi Yahya, who used to sit on House Commission I overseeing foreign affairs.

Susi gave a short speech on improved Russian-Indonesian relations in business and investment. She also praised Russia for the signing a joint communiqué with Indonesia on combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“Indonesia and Russia share the same big ocean and both suffer from illegal fishing,” she said.

Meanwhile, Japan will rely on existing security arrangements with Indonesia to address increasing tensions in the region, Japanese Ambassador Tanizaki Yasuaki said during a reception to celebrate the Japan Self-Defense Force’s (JSDF) 62nd anniversary.

The JSDF was formed on July 1, 1954.

Yasuaki said he hoped defense cooperation and exchanges between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the JSDF would develop more intensively in the future.

“With the spirit of the anniversary of JSDF, we hope that Japan and Indonesia will become more prosperous in the time to come and the exchanges between JSDF and TNI will develop further ahead,” he said.

The role of the JSDF is expected to expand outwards from Japan’s shores to ensure that the East Asian giant can contribute more actively to international peace, he said. He made the remarks in light of the new legislation on peace and security approved by the Japanese Diet last September. JSDF was established with a pacifist doctrine that limits its range of operations to internal defense and aiding allies only.

In regard to rising tensions in the region, Japanese military attache to Indonesia Hiroshi Komiya said that Japan would rely on existing defense cooperation, including the Memorandum of Understanding in defense exchanges signed in 2015 and the Foreign and Defense Ministerial “2+2” meetings agreed to in December 2015.

Separately, British Ambassador to Indonesia Moazzam Malik hosted a ceremony to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. Among the luminaries attending the event were Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

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