TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that Jakarta is ready to become the Capital of ASEAN Diplomatic Community. The commitment was represented by the inauguration of the expansion of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta by Minister Retno.
"Expansion of the secretariat is the Indonesian government's effort to facilitate ASEAN meetings," said Retno on Monday, August 10, 2015.
According to Retno, in the near future, there will be more ASEAN partners and meetings. There will also be more countries that open up special missions for ASEAN. For efficiency reasons, Retno said that those meetings should be held at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Coinciding with the ASEAN's 48th anniversary, Retno symbolically inaugurated the expansion of the ASEAN Secretariat building. The construction will start in 2016 and hoped to be finished in three years, according to Retno.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla also stated the government's commitment to support ASEAN. "The Indonesian government and the Jakarta provincial government are commited to turn the capital city into Southeast Asia's diplomatic capital," said Kalla.
MOYANG KASIH DEWIMERDEKA
