Indonesia to continue to support Serbia on Kosovo issue

JAKARTA -- Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanović says he received assurances that ndonesia will continue to support Serbia in finding a solution for the Kosovo issue.

Nebojša Stefanović (Tanjug, file)

Stefanović made the statement on Tuesday in Jakarta after his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

"Indonesia will continue to offer its principled support to Serbia in finding a solution for the Kosovo issue and will not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of the southern Serbian province," said Stefanović.

The Indonesian minister said his country will continue to support the resolution of the Kosovo issue through dialogue, peaceful means and in line with international law and UN conventions.

Stefanović also had a meeting at the Ministry of Finance, where he was promised Indonesia's assistance in opening a regional center for investments in Serbia.

According to the speaker, he was promised that the finance minister will personally work to attract investments to Serbia, and all agreements which could help accelerate the process will be ratified.

Stefanović called the second day of his visit to Indonesia very successful. In addition to meetings with officials, he also visited the Jakarta Post, Indonesia's largest English-language newspaper. According to Stefanović, the Jakarta Post showed a lot of interest in the Serbian delegation's visit and deepening relations between the two countries and peoples.

On Monday, Stefanović met with Surahman Hidayat, chairman of the Committee for Inter Parliamentary Cooperation, Mahfudz Siddiq, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Milton Pakpahan, chairman of the Indonesia-Serbia parliamentary friendship group.

He also sat down with People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Taufiq Kiemas, Regional Representative Council Speaker Irman Gusman, and Investment Coordinating Board deputy director Achmad Kurniadi.