KSP Values Biden's Warm Welcome To Jokowi Denies Gap After RI Invites Russia To G20

Photo: BPMI Setpres

JAKARTA - The Office of the Presidential Staff (KSP) considers the warm welcome of US President Joe Biden to President Joko Widodo to prove the US trust in Indonesia. This is also a refutation of speculation that the US's attitude is not warm after Indonesia invited Russia to the G20 summit.

KSP Main Expert, Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, in a written statement, mentioned Biden's warm gesture to Jokowi during the ASEAN-US Summit in Washington DC, Friday, May 13. It refuted speculations circulating that President Jokowi was not warmly welcomed in the US because Indonesia invited Russia to attend the G20 summit in Indonesia in 2022.

KSP said President Biden warmly welcomed President Jokowi's presence in the series of the ASEAN-US Special Summit, especially during the dinner at the White House in Washington DC. In fact, KSP said, President Joko Widodo had the honor of replying to President Biden's toast.

"Joe Biden's friendly attitude still looks the same as when he served as Vice President during the administration of President Barrack Obama. Joe Biden does have a very good personal relationship with President Jokowi, especially during his 2015 state visit", said Ruhaini, Saturday, May 14, quoted from Between.

Ruhaini assessed that President Biden's warm welcome to President Jokowi was very important for Indonesia, both bilaterally, regionally, and multilaterally.

Bilaterally, she said, the US has shown confidence in the openness and potential of US investment in Indonesia, or the door for Indonesian exports in the form of finished commodities such as electric car batteries and other downstream commodities.

"This is evidenced by the openness of the US to Indonesia's initiative to meet with the big CEOs in the US", she said.

According to Ruhaini, regionally, Biden's warm welcome shows confidence in Indonesia as the coordinator of the ASEAN-US partnership. Moreover, she said, this is the first time the series of ASEAN-US Special Summit meetings have been held at the White House and in Washington DC since 45 years ago.

"President Barack Obama once invited the ASEAN-US Special Summit in 2016. However, the meeting was held in Sunnyland, California, not at the White House and in Washington DC. Of course, this is a form of appreciation and also an honor for Indonesia", said Ruhaini.

In addition, said Ruhaini, the US also sees Indonesia as a middle power country that is very consistent with the principle of a free and active foreign policy in responding to ASEAN relations with big countries, especially the United States and China.

In terms of multilateral relations, Ruhaini stated that Indonesia, as President of the G20, was seen as having the opportunity to play a strategic role in stopping the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Indonesia, she said, was also considered to be able to encourage conflict resolution through negotiations because it has good relations with Russia and Ukraine.

"Of course, Indonesia is ready to be a part of it (Russian-Ukrainian negotiations)", she said.