REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - In forthcoming year, Indonesia introduces an approach called as sustainable growth with equity. In various forums such as ASEAN, APEC, G-20, WTO and the UN, and discussions on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, Indonesia always emphasized on the importance of strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive economic growth to ensure that Indonesia has equitable global economic growth.

"This is an approach that we call as sustainable growth with equity," Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa said during a yearly press statement on Friday.

Amid growing uncertainties of global and regional condition, Indonesia's foreign policy strived to wage peace and prosperity last year. Indonesia's diplomacy worked to create and maintain stability, security and peace as well as advance justice and prosperity at regional and global levels to protect national interests.

Natalegawa stated that throughout 2012, Indonesia's foreign policy was navigated in a global and regional condition that was full of challenges and uncertainties. 

"It was a global condition that, on one hand, was generally marked by a relative peace among nations yet was characterized by conflict situations in many parts of the world," he said.

Such condition became more complex due to the interlinkages of global, regional and national issues, namely political-security, economic, environmental and social issues. However, Indonesia projected itself as part of the solutions in any challenges, such as conflicts in the South China Sea.

In 2012, Indonesia's foreign policy has strived to establish a regional order, in the form of institutional capacity building and through the strengthening of norms and principles that underline peaceful relationship among nations.

"When there was doubt regarding ASEAN's common stance on the South China Sea, Indonesia launched a 36-hour shuttle diplomacy to consolidate ASEAN's position in line with the six-point principles," Natalegawa said.

Indonesia also encouraged the maintenance of diplomatic communications that put forward diplomatic option for dispute settlement when a territorial dispute in the region broke out. When there were concerns that the Asia Pacific region faced an era of competition that can threaten peace, Indonesia put forward a need for a viewpoint that dismiss such assumption.

In 2012, global economic crisis affected the world. Economic condition in Euro zone countries had some impacts on the life in those countries and on the overall global economy. "We have worked hard throughout the year 2012 to minimize the negative impact of such development to Indonesia's economy," he said.

The efforts was refining the priority area of bilateral relations with strategic partners and increasing economic relations with countries that are non-traditional markets for Indonesia. 

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