Jokowi, foreign minister discuss state visits

Jakarta (Antaranews Bali) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi met President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to discuss state and official visits to five countries in the Southern Asia.

"According to the plans, the president will visit five countries next week, including Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan," Marsudi stated in the Presidential Palace grounds in Jakarta on Thursday.

She further stated that during his visit, the president will focus on the efforts to increase bilateral cooperation in the economic sector.

The large population in the countries he would be visiting, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, could provide an opportunity for Indonesia to strengthen its economic cooperation.

The success in the cooperation in transportation with Bangladesh, as well as coal and palm oil exports with a number of countries, are aimed to be expanded to other countries in the Southern Asia region, he added.

"Other than that, surely, the diplomacy for humanity will also be carried out, and our peace diplomacy will also be included into the president`s visits to those five countries," she revealed.

During his time in India, Jokowi will also attend the India-ASEAN Summit in New Delhi, as he had also received an invitation to attend the India Republic Day to commemorate the country`s constitution day.  (WDY)