Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi (centre) holds a trilateral meeting with Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, and Minister of External Affairs of India S. Jaishankar, in Jakarta on July 12. ( Photo: antaranews.com)
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on July 12 discussed the regional situation with her Australian and Indian counterparts Penny Wong and S. Jaishankar at a trilateral meeting on the sideline of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) in Jakarta.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Retno emphasised that as countries that share many commonalities, it is essential for the three nations to discuss the regional situation.
She noted that it was not the first such meeting between the three ministers. They had participated in a trilateral meeting in September last year on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Retno said that Indonesia, Australia, and India share many commonalities, for examples, they are democratic countries and have also become positive forces in respecting international laws and maintaining peace and stability.
She lauded Australia and India's support for ASEAN's centrality and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The minister said that she is looking forwards to the active participation of Australia and India in the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Forum, which is scheduled to be held in September in Jakarta.
Australia is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) while all three countries - Indonesia, Australia and India - are members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), she said, adding that she received strong support from her colleagues, the ASEAN foreign ministers, on the Secretariat-to-Secretariat cooperation between ASEAN-PIF and ASEAN-IORA.
According to the Indonesian minister, Indonesia contributes to make the Indo-Pacific a region of peace and prosperity and engaging partners inclusively.
She hopes that the three ministers would identify concrete ideas to improve economic, maritime, and food security cooperation./.
