Jokowi Asserts Importance of ASEAN to 'Not be Anyone's Proxy'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held the meeting with ASEAN Foreign Ministers and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn at the State Palace, Central Jakarta. This marks the first major meeting since Indonesia officially became Chair of ASEAN in 2023. 

In this meeting, Jokowi conveyed two aspects to the delegates, one of which requested that ASEAN should not be a proxy for anyone.

"The president stressed the importance of the centrality and unity of ASEAN which needs to be maintained because this is ASEAN's main asset," said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi who attended the meeting, Friday, February 3.

The President also emphasized the importance of respecting the democratic principles of international human rights law, in accordance with what is in the ASEAN charter. He also emphasized that the five points of consensus will remain ASEAN's main mechanism in dealing with the current developments in Myanmar.

Secondly, Jokowi stressed that ASEAN must become the epicenter of growth or economic growth amidst the current dark global economic projections. He added that this goal can be achieved if ASEAN countries are able to maintain peace and stability in the region.

After the meeting at the Palace, Minister Retno reported that ASEAN Foreign Ministers will hold a series of meetings from today until tomorrow. "It will start this afternoon, namely a working lunch which will discuss the Myanmar issue, followed by the ASEAN coordinating council, tomorrow we will hold a retreat meeting," she said.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO

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