Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Source: newsweek.com) Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia is satisfied with the outcomes of the 32nd ASEAN Summit, which was held in Singapore from April 27 to 28, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was quoted by Antara News on April 30 as saying.
According to Retno, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) presented the concept of Indo-Pacific development at the summit, calling on ASEAN to maintain active role including in the development of Indo-Pacific regional cooperation concept.
ASEAN must play its crucial role in the development of the Indo-Pacific cooperation concept as it is important to keep ASEAN relevant, always able to play its centrality and show its capability in managing strategic environmental change, he stressed.
The big challenge is in the Indo West Pacific region, he said, noting that failure to cope with the challenge could lead to disruption of what ASEAN has achieved so far. Development of Indo-Pacific cooperation should be based on the principle of transparency and inclusiveness, with emphasis on cooperation and friendship.
The concept presented by President Jokowi during the 32nd ASEAN Summit`s retreat received positive support from Vietnam and Thailand, Retno said.
She also said that there were several issues raised in the meeting which included the openness of the economy. Almost ASEAN member states committed to making the ASEAN economy open and fair, so the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations are really encouraged to be completed by the end of this year, she said.
"What is appreciated is our role in the RCEP in addition to our commitment to ASEAN as shown by the new ASEAN Building," she said.
ASEAN has asked Indonesia, as the coordinator of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to conclude the negotiations with six partner countries soon. They are Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and New Zealand, according to the minister.-VNA
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