TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The newly appointed European Union (EU) Ambassador to Indonesia Olof Skoog, said that EU was looking forward to establish a very close bilateral relationship with Indonesia.
"Indonesia has gone through very positive significant changes in the last few years, economically, politically and democratically," the Ambassador said in the EU delegation office, Jakarta, on October 31, 2013.
Indonesia will have the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton visit starting on November 3, 2013. Ashton will meet with her Indonesian counterpart, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on Monday, November 4, to discuss various international issues, including the situation in Syria.
Olof added that both EU and Indonesia share the same view on achieveing a political resolution for the Syrian conflict instead of applying military solution. He continued by saying that, "we have been supporting the United Nations all along, in the mediation effort and the disarmament of chemical weapons in Syria."
Both EU and Indonesia have been regretting the fact that the UN has not been able to play its role in Syria because some countries have consistently preventing the conflict to be listed on the Security Council agenda.
Another issue that the EU would like to discuss with Indonesia is the Palestine-Israel situation. The EU has been supporting the Palestinian people and authority, much like Indonesia, with a strong belief that there should be a negotiable diplomatic solution to mitigate the conflict.
"There's a tremendous respect to what Indonesia stands for as a democratic country," Olof said.
He added that Indonesia should be made as an example by Middle Eastern countries that democracy, religious beliefs and tolerance can be accommodated all at once.
The EU will also exchange views about Myanmar and ASEAN. EU asserted that ASEAN is an important vehicle for integrated growth, prosperity and stability in the Southeast Asian region. With next year’s chairmanship passed to Myanmar, the EU will help the country to boost its capacity in order to achieve the goal of establishing an integrated ASEAN community in 2015.
AMANDA SIDDHARTA
