Security fence at U.S. Embassy

Referring to Brien Doyle's letter Security at U.S. Embassy published in The Jakarta Post on July 10, in which he emphasized U.S. territorial sovereignty, we would like to respond as follows. * The provincial administration of Jakarta Metropolitan City understands and upholds the principle of state sovereignty inherent in every representative institution of Indonesia's friendly countries, including the Embassy of the United States, as regulated in the norms and stipulations prevailing in the international arena. * Politically and protocolwise, the embassies of friendly countries based in Jakarta, including the Embassy of the United States, fall fully within the authority of the government of the Republic of Indonesia, represented in this case by the ministry of foreign affairs. * In connection with the plan to set up an additional security fence for the United States Embassy, the Jakarta administration has informed the Embassy of the United States of the prevailing regional regulation on this matter, and it is our job to ensure all residents of Jakarta comply with and adhere to all of the rules stipulated in this regional regulation. * In this context, the Jakarta administration has, after conducting an in-depth study, provided the Embassy of the United States with an alternative technical solution for the construction of this additional fence. In our opinion, His Excellency Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce of the Embassy of the United States has in principle understood this alternative solution offered.

MUHAYAT Head of Public Relations and Protocol Bureau Jakarta Metropolitan City