Foreign Minister Retno
Marsudi dismisses criticism of Jakarta’s ‘narrow nationalism’ in a key speech
in Washington.
Indonesia’s foreign
minister staunchly defended the country’s foreign policy outlook Monday in a
key speech in Washington, D.C., rejecting criticism of its narrow nationalism
and stressing its important contributions regionally and globally.
Since
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo took office last November, Indonesia’s actions –
including its relative neglect of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and its decision to sink the fishing vessels of neighboring states to
crack down on illegal fishing – had contributed to a perception among some that
the country was becoming more inward-looking (See: “Is Indonesia Turning Away from
ASEAN Under Jokowi?”).
But in an
address to the United States-Indonesia Society (USINDO) Monday night ahead of
Jokowi’s visit to Washington next month, Indonesian foreign minister Retno
Marsudi dismissed these worries of a “narrow nationalism” and a “U-turn” in
Indonesian foreign policy.
“On the
contrary, eleven months on, Indonesia’s engagement with the international
community is even stronger. Indonesia [continues] to have rock-solid commitment
and take a proactive approach to bilateral, regional as well as global
affairs,” Marsudi said.
Over the
past year, Marsudi argued, Indonesia has strengthened bilateral ties with
countries around the world, with more than 100 bilateral meetings and dozens of
working bilateral visits being conducted at the president as well as the
foreign minister level.
Regionally,
she noted that the Jokowi administration had begun implementing plans to
elevate Indonesia’s engagement in the Pacific by assuming associate membership
in the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA), which will take off next month with the first ministerial
meeting in Padang city in West Sumatra.
Notably,
however, her entire speech did not include a single reference to ASEAN.
Beyond
the Asia-Pacific, Indonesia had also hosted over 110 countries at the Asia-Africa
Conference last April and has begun discussions with Gulf countries regarding
strategic cooperation between Jakarta and the members of the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) (See: “Did Indonesia Revive the
Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership?”).
“I have
every confidence that those active foreign policies are not depicting
self-centered and self-serving interests,” she said.
Indonesia
has also enhanced, rather than lessened its contribution to tackling shared
regional and global challenges, Marsudi said. Regionally, she pointed to
Indonesia’s assistance to Vanuatu following Typhoon Pam, its dispatch of
medicine and other supplies to Nepal following a deadly earthquake, and its
sheltering of thousands of illegal migrants in Aceh and North Sumatra.
Globally,
she added, Indonesia continues to promote Islam as a peaceful and compassionate
religion in the face of the radicalism of the Islamic State (IS). The Southeast
Asian state also plans to expand its contribution to United Nations
peacekeeping and to continue to raise awareness on the Law of the Sea amid the
simmering South China Sea disputes, including by hosting regional workshops on
the subject (See: “No, Indonesia’s South China Sea
Approach Has Not Changed”).
“So by
mentioning all these activities, I believe that everyone here will see eye to
eye that those actions are evidently not reflecting a narrow nationalism,” she
said.
Despite
these continuities in Indonesia’s international engagement, she did repeat the
familiar refrain that Indonesian foreign policy under Jokowi was more
results-driven and people-oriented (See: “The Trouble with Indonesia’s
Foreign Policy Priorities under Jokowi”).
“What has
changed, however, is that today, Indonesia wants its foreign policy to bring as
much possible tangible results that can be felt by everyday Indonesians.
Indonesian foreign policy serves the immediate needs of our national interests;
the needs of the Indonesian people,” she said.
Marsudi’s
remarks came after her meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, where
they both announced the dates of Jokowi’s visit to the United States from
October 26 to 28. By Prashanth Parameswaran
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