TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The European Union’s (EU) discriminatory policy on palm oil that besetting Indonesia and Malaysia was discussed during the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok. Countries leaders and government of ASEAN member states acknowledged the issue on market access and discriminatory act against palm oil.

“We reaffirmed our support for the concerned Member States’ efforts to address the sustainability of palm oil, including their continued engagement with relevant parties,” as noted in the Chairman's Statement of the 34th ASEAN Summit, Sunday, June 23.

Previously, during a bilateral meeting of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a sideline event of the summit, the two leaders put concerns on CPO and rubber.

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“Indonesia appreciates Thailand’s support in fighting discriminatory in CPO sector,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi who attended the meeting.

Jakarta also praised Bangkok’s support for Indonesia’s rubber so that the commodity price could rise in the international market. “Because we know Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are the world’s largest producer of rubber,” Retno added.

Indonesia had determined to legally challenge against the EU to the World Trade Organization (WTO). A number of legal firms had been selected to represent the Indonesian government in the dispute stemming from discriminatory acts of the EU on the country’s palm oil.

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