INDONESIA COMMITTED TO DEEPEN, STRENGTHEN TIES WITH PACIFIC NATIONS by Fardah

   Jakarta, June 20,  2014 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, during the first ever visit by Indonesian presidents to Fiji and the South Pacific region, expressed his commitment to deepening and strengthening relations with countries in the region.

        He paid a working visit to Fiji from June 17 to 19, 2014, and attended the Second Summit of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) as chief guest at the invitation of the Fijian government.
   Indonesia has established diplomatic relations with almost all Pacific Island countries, based on equality, mutual respect for each other's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

       Pacific Island countries include Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The PIDF was established by Fiji in 2012.

        In his key address before the 500 participants at the PIDF Summit from, among other things, 16 member countries of PIDF, in Nadi, Fiji, on June 19, 2014, Yudhoyono explained that the aspiration of PIDF to achieve the Sustainable Pacific Society was in many ways similar to the Indonesian government's four-pronged approach to development: pro-growth, pro-poor, pro-job, and pro-environment.

          "Hence, we have strong reason to strengthen relations and cooperation to address our common development challenges. In this regard, I wish to share with you ways in which Indonesia can further contribute to these relations and cooperation," he added.

        In the economic sector, the two-way trade between Indonesia and the Pacific nations in 2013 was US$318 million. "We can do much better than that as many potentials remain untapped. We should aim to triple that amount to US$1 billion in the coming years," the Indonesian head of state noted.
   He reaffirmed that Indonesia was committed in enlarging the economic ties with the PIDF countries, particularly in trade and investment.

        Indonesia is also committed to intensify cooperation with the PIDF in the areas of common concerns and interests, such as the fishery and marine sectors.

       "We can collaborate to build linkages between our marine-protected areas. In this regard, Indonesia supports the idea of expanding the participation of other Pacific countries in the Coral Triangle Initiative," he stated.

        The multilateral Coral Triangle Initiative was established in 2007 at the initiative of Yudhoyono and has six member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It is primarily aimed at addressing the urgent threats facing the coastal and marine resources of one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically rich regions on Earth.

        He also proposed closer cooperation in natural disaster mitigation and management. "I am pleased that as part of experience sharing, a number of Pacific Island countries have participated as observers in the disaster relief exercise of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manado in 2011," he said.

        At the same time, Indonesia has a strong commitment to broaden its network of cooperation with PIDF countries in mitigating the impact of climate change.

        "In the next five years, and in our collective efforts to effectively respond to the aforementioned common challenges, Indonesia will offer various capacity-building programs. We intend to allocate a modest funding of US$20 million to the Pacific Island countries," he stated.

         He also announced that Indonesia was committed to boost connectivity with the South Pacific region to overcome the challenge of distance. "Better connectivity will help enhance interaction among our people. Therefore, Indonesia had involved Pacific Island countries in the discussion of connectivity within APEC during Indonesia's chairmanship last year," he added.

       Meanwhile, Fijian Prime Minister Rear Admiral J.V. Bainimarama said his country regarded Indonesia as a close friend and valued development partner.

         "Also, we consider you as an important ally in our joint effort to improve the lives of the people in developing countries the world over, whether it is through the United Nations, the G77 Plus China, or the Non-Aligned Movement, of which Indonesia was a founding member," Prime Minister Bainimarama remarked in his opening address during the PDIF Leaders' Meeting.

         As the president of a country with a population of 250 million citizens spread across 13-and-a-half thousand islands in the Indonesian Archipelago, Yudhoyono represented the most populous nation in the immediate Pacific region, as well as the most influential on the global stage, the Fijian leader added.

         "Indeed, you are one of the only three world leaders appointed by the United Nations to the high-level panel advising it on the global development agenda beyond 2015. This makes you uniquely qualified to help steer our discussions at this forum, where together we are setting sustainable development goals for our own regions," Bainimarama noted.

         The Fijian prime minister praised Yudhoyono at being able to strengthen the development of genuine democracy in Indonesia over the last ten years of his administration.

        "This is a singular achievement. You have done so as a strong advocate of ethnic and religious tolerance and harmony in the world's largest Islamic country and a secular state," the prime minister reiterated.

        Fiji, a predominantly Christian country and a secular state, will hold its first democratic election on September 17, this year.

        "We are determined that this election will be free and fair and express the genuine will of the Fijian people. And to that end, we are assembling a multinational team of observers, which will include Indonesia as a co-leader," Bainimarama affirmed.

        According to media reports, Indonesia has agreed to co-lead an international observer group during Fiji's national elections in September.

         Indonesia will co-lead the group with Australia, as President Yudhoyono was given an update on preparations for the September polls. The agreement followed bilateral talks between President Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Bainimarama in Nadi, June 18, 2014.

        During Yudhoyono's visit, Fiji and Indonesia signed six agreements in various fields including combating drugs and substances, fisheries, small and medium enterprises, public works infrastructure, diplomatic training, youth and sports, and visa exemption for diplomats.

        Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, who was a member of the president's entourage, pointed out that cooperation between Indonesia and Fiji continued to improve from time to time.

         "During the bilateral meeting, the two leaders discussed efforts to step-up relations between the two countries," Natalegawa stated.

         The Fijian prime minister appreciated Indonesia's involvement in the South Pacific region, while President Yudhoyono reciprocated the gesture by appreciating Fiji's positive and constructive stance to build stronger relations with Indonesia, Natalegawa noted.

          The two leaders also discussed regional issues and their roles in the framework of cooperation in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

          With regard to the issues in Papua and West Papua, Natalegawa stated that Fiji will continue to support the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). ***1***
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