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View all search resultsIndonesia, Singapore to work together on regional haze
Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir highlighted Jakarta’s ‘good neighbor’ policy that entails mutual responsibility and respect with neighboring countries, which was responded to by his Singaporean counterpart with the city-state’s commitment to resolving differences.
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Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir (right) shakes hands with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Tuesday after a press briefing at the Foreign Ministry's office in Central Jakarta. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)
I
ndonesia has pledged to continue cooperating with Singapore despite differences amid heightened tensions over forest and peatland fires that have created haze blanketing the country and its neighbors.
The commitment came during Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s visit to Jakarta on Tuesday, where he held more than two hours of talks with his Indonesian counterpart, Arrmanatha Nasir, following several days of public sparring between the two countries’ top officials.
In a joint statement after their talk, Arrmanatha underscored Jakarta’s “good neighbor” foreign policy, saying it entailed mutual responsibility and respect, while extending resilience beyond national borders to the wider region.
Singapore is not only Indonesia’s neighbor, but the two are “partners in a shared future”, Arrmanatha went on to say, and Jakarta remains committed to resolving any issues. He also expressed support for Singapore’s ASEAN chairmanship next year.
“Today, Indonesia and Singapore’s relationship is mature enough to speak candidly, especially when we differ,” the Indonesian minister said. “What matters is not that we differ, but how we resolve our differences constructively, respectfully and openly.”
Read also: Ministers up ante in RI-Singapore row
Echoing Arrmanatha’s remarks, Balakrishnan stressed the importance of mutual understanding and a commitment to resolving differences, while expressing Singapore’s confidence in Indonesia’s future.
