Mike Pence May Talk Freeport, Terrorism during Indonesia Visit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, is scheduled to visit Indonesia as part of this Asian tour. Law experts are starting to guess what Pence might talk about with Indonesia.

"There will be two issues discussed: terrorism and Freeport," Law Professor at University of Indonesia Hikmahanto Juwana wrote on Monday, March 13.

On terrorism, he said the Indonesian government must convey that it is a joint- issue that requires cooperation to combat. He added that the government must also remind the US to stop labeling and generalizing by "accusing a number of Islamic countries as terrorist countries," he said, citing that it would only make combating terrorism more difficult.

Read: US Vice President Mike Pence to Visit Indonesia Next Month

On Freeport, Hikmahanto said Indonesia needs to tell Pence that the government is actually giving the miner a way out to resume experts—and not pressuring the company. 

Hikmahanto said the US should not pressure Indonesia, and that Freeport must respect the country's laws and sovereignty. 

Pence's plan to visit Indonesia was confirmed by Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security Affairs Wiranto. However, Wiranto did not say when exactly Pence will arrive in Indonesia. Wiranto spoke of Pence's visit when receiving a visit from US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan.  

GHOIDA RAHMAH | YOHANES PASKALIS