Representatives Of The US, UK And Canada Walk Out Because Of Russia, Indonesia's G20 Co-Sherpa: That's Normal, No One Wants The G20 To Disband

Meeting of the Ministers of Finance and Governors of the G20 State Central Banks in Jakarta last February. (Source: G20.org)

JAKARTA - Indonesia's G20 Co-Sherpa Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani considered the walk-out action carried out by representatives of the United States, Britain and Canada at the G20 finance ministers meeting in Washington, United States yesterday as normal.

Top finance officials from the United States, Britain and Canada decided to walk out of Wednesday's G20 meeting, Britain's Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak said, as Russian representatives spoke.

In addition, Ukrainian officials who attended the meeting in Washington, DC, the United States also walked out of a meeting of top financial officials from the world's 20 largest economies, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

In response to this, the Special Staff for Strengthening Priority Programs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the G20 Co-Sherpa, Dian Triansyah Djani, said it was a common thing.

"Regarding the WO, in various multilateral meetings, it is commonly held, not only in the context of the G20. It is a reflection of certain views, attitudes. This happens at meetings everywhere," he said in a virtual press statement Thursday, April 21.

"This applies in many countries, the right to do that, we anticipate and have predicted everything," he continued.

The diplomat, who recently completed a visit to the United States and Europe, underlined that the support for the Indonesian Presidency is very large from various countries.

"No one wants to see the G20 disband. At the UN general assembly, the role of the G20 is in the spotlight and is recognized," he said.

He added, as the G20 Presidency, Indonesia has always tried to make its presidency transparent, impartial, listen to the views/opinions of all countries, inclusiveness, all are involved, benefit from the Indonesian presidency.

Yesterday, the Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Teuku Faizsyah, said that it was Indonesia's job to ensure that the work program and agenda for the G20 discussions were running.

"As the Presidency, it is Indonesia's duty to ensure that the work program and agenda of the G20 discussions run as expected," he told VOI.

"How member countries will behave at each G20 meeting will depend on their respective positions," he continued.

Despite occupying the G20 Presidency this year, Teuku Faizasyah said Indonesia cannot impose a country's choice of attitude.

"As the Presidency, Indonesia cannot force a single country's choice of attitude," he said.

As previously reported, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey decided to leave while the Russian envoy spoke, protesting against the invasion of Ukraine.

"Earlier my representatives, along with their US & Canadian counterparts left today's G20 meeting in Washington while the Russian delegation was speaking," Sunak said on Twitter.

"We are united in our condemnation of Russia's war against Ukraine and will push for stronger international coordination to punish Russia," he continued.

Russia's Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov attended the meeting in person, while Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and the governor of Russia's central bank joined virtually, a second source said.