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February 4, 2025 | 12:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno, spoke about the direction of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the United States (U.S.) following Donald Trump's re-inauguration as president. He stated that he could not comment much on the future of Indonesia-U.S. relations at this time.
"Well, we have to wait and see. Right now, we are merely speculating. So, it’s not entirely clear what his (Trump’s) foreign policy direction will be," Havas said in an exclusive interview with Tempo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office on Friday, January 17, 2025.
The former Indonesian Ambassador to Germany said President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has yet to predict Trump’s foreign policy direction. He also could not speculate whether Trump would focus on Asia, Europe, or even primarily on domestic affairs.
About this, Havas brought up former U.S. President Barack Obama’s foreign policy when he first took office in 2009. At that time, Havas said, Obama implemented the 'pivot to Asia' policy, in which the U.S. prioritized relations with Asian countries.
According to Havas, this move was met with objections from Latin America and European countries. At that time Obama said Asia was the world's future, leading the U.S. to open offices in several Asian countries and assign special diplomats there.
Furthermore, Havas affirmed that the Indonesian government continues to prepare itself despite the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s foreign policy. He believes that Indonesia's readiness is crucial, especially since the U.S. is one of Indonesia’s largest markets.
One option Indonesia could pursue, Havas added, is to plan a unique cooperation agreement with the U.S. According to him, this collaboration could also be established with individual U.S. states, particularly in the trade areas, tourism, investment, and technology.
The direction of Indonesia's foreign policy is discussed in detail in Tempo magazine’s special edition on President Prabowo's first 100 days in office, published this week.
In the report titled "Foreign Policy Under Commander Prabowo," Tempo reveals President Prabowo Subianto’s dominance over foreign policy and diplomacy. As president, Prabowo tends to resist being dictated in foreign policy decision-making. However, his decisions, sometimes made without thorough consideration, have occasionally caused controversy both domestically and internationally.
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