TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Arrmanatha Nasir said that Indonesia is now a new member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
"Our status has now upgraded from an observer into Associate Member at the MSG," he said on Friday (26/7).
Arrmanatha also said that Indonesia’s membership of the MSG has been discussed for a long time.
He also said that the government considered that after three years as an observer, it has time for Indonesia to become an official member of the group.
Arrmanatha also mentioned several reasons why Indonesia’s membership has been upgraded. First, he said, Indonesia is home to 11 million Melanesian people.
"11 million Melanesian people are scattered in 5 provinces in Indonesia, namely Papua, West Papua, Maluku, North Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara,” he said.
Another reason, he said, is to promote economic and cultural cooperation with Melanesian countries.
MITRA TARIGAN