United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Jakarta over the weekend where he met President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, discussing a number of key issues including Indonesia-US relations and denuclearization efforts on the Korea Peninsula.

In his meeting with Retno on Saturday, Pompeo brought up the issue of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, a topic that often came up during the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Singapore, which Pompeo also attended.

“Once again, our end goal is denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. That was the sentiment at the ASEAN meetings and we repeated it again during [Saturday’s] meeting,” Retno said.

In addition, Retno and Pompeo also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the latter emphasizing that a two-state solution was the only way to end the dispute.

“He did not reject [our thoughts about] a two-state solution. He said we needed more time to conclude a peace plan on Palestine,” Retno said. “However, I emphasized that the conflict was a concern not only for the Indonesian government but also the people.”

Retno highlighted that Indonesia and the US had established a strategic partnership in 2015, thus both countries had been pushing to improve the fruitful relationship.

“Through the strategic partnership, we are attempting to develop a relationship that respects and brings benefits not only to both of our countries but also to our regions and the world,” Retno said.

With regard to trade and economic cooperation, Retno raised the issue of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which provides lower product import duties on Indonesian goods, and the positive outcomes that followed Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita’s meeting with the US trade representative in Washington, DC last month.

In his meeting with Jokowi on Sunday, Pompeo praised Indonesia’s democratic progress and emphasized the US was grateful for it.

“We value democracy here, [one of] the biggest democracies in the world, something that America treasures,” Pompeo said at a press briefing after meeting Jokowi.

Jokowi said he had raised the issue of bilateral trade, especially as the US was reviewing Indonesia’s GSP status.

“I just got a report from the Trade Minister and Indonesian delegation to the US and today I will use [my meeting with Pompeo] to further discuss this bilateral issue,” President Jokowi said.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Indonesia-US diplomatic ties.

Establishing their ties in 1949, Indonesia and the US are set to mark the anniversary next year.

“I told [Pompeo] that for next year’s anniversary, Indonesia proposes a theme of ‘celebrate our diversity, prosper together as strategic partners’,” Retno said after meeting Pompeo.

Retno said she would task the Indonesian embassy in Washington, DC, as well as the foreign ministry’s American and European Affairs Directorate with working on possible programs based on the theme.

Indonesia and the US, she said, were partners in developing values of democracy, diversity and tolerance.

The ministry’s American and European Affairs Director General Muhammad Anshor said on Sunday that the proposed theme, including the theme of diversity, was meant to emphasize the commonality and strength of both countries.

“As diverse nations, we can learn from each other to improve the approach on managing diversity,” he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

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