REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia's foreign policy will focus on nine major issues in 2013 as a response to challenges at the regional and global levels. Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa, mentioned the nine major issues during 2013 press statement on Friday.

"First, to sharpen the priority areas of our bilateral cooperation with strategic partners and other friendly countries," Minister Natalegawa said. The first priority also involves cooperation in such areas as food and energy security, defense, health and the environment.

Second, Indonesian economic diplomacy will be geared toward expanding Indonesian non-traditional markets. The data says, up to mid 2012, Indonesia's export to non-traditional markets of Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe grew by 46 percent, 43 percent and 87 percent compared to the same period last year.

Indonesia still recorded positive growth for the export to countries such as Norway, Germany and United Kingdom despite sluggish markets in Western Europe and North America. In line with the beginning of economic recovery in Europe, Indonesian economic diplomacy in 2013 will seek further potentials and expand market penetration in the non-traditional market. Available opportunities in the traditional markets will also be further refined.

"Third, to intensify border diplomacy with our neighbors in accordance to Indonesia's national interests as well as the provisions and norms of international law," he explained.

Throughout 2012, Indonesia maintained the momentum of border diplomacy. As many as 32 border negotiations with seven countries have been held. 15 of those were maritime boundary negotiations and 17 were land boundary negotiations.

Fourth, the next priority is to improve the protection of Indonesian citizens and workers overseas by prioritizing on three aspects; prevention, early detection, and protection.

"Every single case faced by Indonesian citizens abroad was treated as a priority," he said. Preventive aspect is an important element to prevent the possibility of Indonesian citizens to be sentenced by death penalty.

The sharpening of preventive, early detection and protection aspects has become the main agenda. A standard for assisting Indonesian citizens and workers abroad has been drawn up as a reference for all Indonesian Missions abroad in providing services and protections.

Fifth, Indonesia's foreign policy is to maintain peace and stability in the region. Indonesia believes that diplomacy must work and must have space in every issue.

Indonesia's foreign policy in 2013 will aim to strengthen the momentum for comprehensive implementation of the DoC of the South China Sea, including progress in the effort to reach a regional code of conduct (CoC). Indonesia will also remind the importance for all countries to adhere to the Bali Principles, guiding basic norms for conduct and international relations among countries in the Asia Pacific region that put forward peaceful means and avoid the threat and use of force.

Sixth, Indonesia will consolidate democracy and human rights values in the regional and global levels. Through regional and global forums, Indonesia will focus on efforts to assist countries that are undergoing a process of democratic transition. 

Such effort is expected to help the process of democratic transformation run smoothly in accordance with the wishes and agenda set by the countries concerned. The relevance of such effort has become more significant with the ongoing transformation in the Middle East.

"Seventh, to strengthen the regional economic resilience and growth," he said. He explained that Indonesia's diplomacy strived to promote and maintain a strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth in the Southeast Asian region.

As a concrete manifestation of the principle of ASEAN-led regional architecture building, Indonesia will mark 2013 with the commencement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiation process. It is an effort to strengthen regional economic resilience based on the spirit of partnership and mutual benefits among ASEAN countries and their partner countries.

Indonesia also aims to make a concrete contributions to the establishment of a future economic architecture through Indonesia's Chairmanship of APEC.

The eighth priority is to contribute to the maintenance of global peace, security and justice. "The stalemate of diplomacy with regard to the Syrian issue throughout 2012 must be immediately resolved. Furthermore, the issue of Palestine has been and will continue to be a top priority agenda for Indonesia's diplomacy and foreign policy," Natalegawa explained.

Meanwhile, the final priority is to promote global economic and development order, providing space for international community to reap the fruits of development. It also provides opportunities for all countries to move forward and prosper, without exception.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika