RI accepts U.S. visa policy

RI accepts U.S. visa policy

JAKARTA: Foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda says the Indonesian
government has no intention of making an issue out of the U.S.
policy to apply strict visa application rules to males from 25
countries, including Indonesia.

"We don't mean to question that because every country has the
right to determine their own screening policy," Hassan said at
the State Palace.

The U.S. tightened its visa procurement procedures for males
aged between 16 and 45 following the Sept. 11 attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The American Embassy in Jakarta has said that it will
temporarily tighten nonimmigrant visa application procedures as a
precautionary measure.

Hassan said that all countries had the right to restrict the
inflow of foreign nationals on security grounds. --JP