Dutch Move to Cancel Business Meeting Inappropriate, Expert Says
3 May 2015 12:04 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - International law expert Hikmahanto Juwana said that the decision made by the Dutch government to cancel the business meeting with Indonesia as a protest against recent executions of drugs convicts was a blunder.
“What is the relationship between death penalty and business meeting? It’s not appropriate,” Hikmahanto told Tempo on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
According to Hikmahanto, the inappropriate move was similar to the decision made a by a professor in Australia banning Indonesian students from his class.
“What it has to do with death penalty?” he said.
In addition to being inappropriate, Hikmahanto added, the move would cause a loss for the Netherlands since Indonesia is a large market.
“It’s not a big deal if the Netherlands chose to do that. Economically speaking, it’s their loss. Indonesia’s bargaining power is higher,” Hikmahanto said.
Earlier, Dutch Transportation Minster Schultz van Haagen canceled an official meeting with Indonesian Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan at the Investor Forum held on April 30-May 1, 2015.
Hikmahanto, who is also a law professor at the University of Indonesia, viewed that the meeting cancelation would not disrupt diplomatic ties between Indonesia and Netherland. Such a protest, he added, was more related to domestic political move to pool sympathizers.
“It’s a domestic effort to get supports. With such a protest the Dutch government is hoping that their moral value is strong in the people’s eyes,” Hikmahanto said.
AMIRULLAH