Retno Awaits President's Directives On Three Summits

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Newly-appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has stated she was waiting for President Joko Widodo's directives related to three international agenda in the second week of November 2014.

"There will be three submits, namely the APEC Summit in Beijing on November 10-11, the ASEAN Summit in Myanmar on November 12-13 and the G20 Summit in Australia on November 15-16. I think those are among the issues the President will raise at the first cabinet meeting. Let's await what the President's directives will be," Retno said following the announcement of President Joko Widodo's cabinet lineup on the yard of the Merdeka Palace here on Sunday evening.

President Joko Widodo is slated to hold the first cabinet meeting after inducting all ministers of the "work cabinet" on Monday.

Retno said she would discuss a number of programs after the first cabinet meeting. "He (the President) said this is work cabinet. After the inauguration of the cabinet lineup there will be no other words than work and work," she said.

Retno who is career diplomat said she was contacted by former deputy of the Jokowi-JK transition team Andi Widjajanto on Saturday (Oct 18) and met President Jokowi on Monday night.

"On Saturday at 06.00 p.m. The Hague time I was phoned by Mr Andi asking me to meet Mr Jokowi immediately. I tried to get a ticket that night. On Monday afternoon I arrived in Jakarta. At 05.15 p.m. Mr Andi phoned me again to meet the President at midnight on Monday," she said.

Retno is the first Indonesian woman to hold the post of foreign affairs minister. (WDY)