European Union-Indonesia hold first-ever political dialog
European Union-Indonesia hold first-ever political dialog
JAKARTA (JP): The European Union and Indonesia have completed their first-ever ministerial political dialog.
A statement issued by the Indonesian foreign ministry here on Friday said that the dialog had taken place in Luxembourg on Wednesday and had ended with an agreement to hold regular political dialogs through ministerial and senior official meetings as well as informal consultations.
The results of the dialog, where Indonesia was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, were contained in an EU- Indonesia Joint Declaration.
In the declaration, the EU stressed its support for a strong, democratic, united and prosperous Indonesia, and for the territorial integrity of the country.
It also expressed support for the efforts made by the Indonesian government to make further progress in its economic recovery, to strengthen the country's democracy, ensure respect for human rights and reform its military and judicial system.
The EU also backed up the government's efforts to enhance the rule of law and good governance, to restore the vitality of its economy and to solve its internal conflicts through dialog rather than force of arms.
"They welcomed the historic changes taking place in Indonesia and in the European Union," said the statement.
The declaration also states the two parties agreed to establish a regular political dialog, not just through meetings at ministerial level but also at senior official and expert level.
"The EU and Indonesia have agreed that the political dialogs should include dialogs on matters relating to cooperation in enhancing regional security and other issues of common interest," says the declaration.
Meanwhile in Luxembourg, Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama described on Wednesday the meeting as "a new turning point in relations between the EU and Indonesia".
The EU's high-level political meeting with Indonesian foreign minister Alwi Shihab was a "unique case" in Europe's relations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Gama, who is currently president of the EU, said.
"Indonesia is trying to embrace all nations and put the bitterness of its past behind it in history," foreign minister Shihab stressed.
EU officials said the meeting was a clear sign of deepening relations between the EU and Indonesia, a key strategic power in Asia.
"We are starting a new era of cooperation with Jakarta," a senior Portuguese official told Deutsche Presse Agentuur.
"The meeting is an example of our support for a strong, democratic, united and prosperous Indonesia," he said.
Indonesian policy in East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was the source of deep strains in relations between the 15 nation bloc and the government of former President Soeharto.
"But that problem is now over to our satisfaction," the Portuguese official said.
"We now feel it is our moral duty to support democracy in Indonesia," the Portuguese diplomat said.
Officials said the EU had earmarked 20 million euros of aid for strengthening the office of Indonesia's attorney general and increasing the effectiveness of the country's fight against corruption.
EU diplomats said the Union was convinced that Indonesia had a key role to play in both Asia and the world at large.
"There has been tremendous progress in Indonesia over the last few months," a diplomat stressed. (mds)