Netherlands recognizes RI's independence date<\/p>\n
Indonesia's former colonial master, the Netherlands, has put an
\nend to decades of diplomatic imbroglio by formally accepting
\nIndonesia's independence date as Aug. 17, 1945, Dutch foreign
\nminister said in The Hague.<\/p>\n
Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot will arrive in Jakarta on
\nTuesday to attend this year's Independence Day celebrations. Bot
\nwill also convey the acceptance of Aug. 15 as Indonesia's
\nindependence anniversary to the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
No Dutch minister has ever attended Indonesia's Independence
\nDay celebrations before.<\/p>\n
\"The visit itself is political and moral acceptance of the
\nindependence date of the 17th of August 1945,\" Bot said in a
\nspeech, an excerpt of which was sent to The Jakarta Post by the
\nRoyal Dutch Embassy in Jakarta, on Monday in The Hague.<\/p>\n
Bot was speaking at a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of
\nJapanese capitulation in Asia.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands has claimed all these years that its former
\ncolony Indonesia became independent on Dec. 27, 1949, when the
\nDutch formally transferred sovereignty to Indonesians. But
\nIndonesia proclaimed its independence on Aug. 17, 1945.<\/p>\n
\"I will explain to the Indonesian people that my presence
\nthere should be seen as a moral and political acceptance of that
\ndate,\" Bot said.<\/p>\n
He also expressed sorrow over violence in Indonesia before its
\nindependence from Dutch colonial rule in the late 1940s.<\/p>\n
\"Now we can say the separation of Indonesia and the
\nNetherlands took longer and involved more military violence than
\nwas necessary,\" Bot said.<\/p>\n
During the so-termed \"police actions\" in 1947 and 1948, Dutch
\ntroops tried to prevent Indonesia from gaining independence by
\noccupying most of its islands.<\/p>\n
Under the leadership of Prime Minister JP Balkenende -- a new
\npost-war leader -- the Dutch government has been making all-out
\nefforts to strengthen political relations with Indonesia. He has
\nsent his trusted aide Bot to Indonesia several times to build a
\nstrong partnership between the two countries. -- JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/netherlands-recognizes-ris-independence-date-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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