Indonesia flags meeting of foreign ministers

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has flagged a possible meeting with her Australian counterpart Penny Wong this Saturday.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Picture: AAP

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has flagged a possible meeting with her Australian counterpart Penny Wong this Saturday – a day ahead of Anthony Albanese’s first prime ministerial visit to Jakarta – to discuss the new government’s plan for deeper engagement with Asia.

In a parliamentary briefing on Canberra’s likely foreign policy direction under an ALP administration, Ms Marsudi said the Labor Party had a history of building stronger ties with Asia, and the new government had plans to establish a Southeast Asia office within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“We can say that the vision of the Australian Labor Party is to try to make an Australia that is stronger at the global level and more united at home,” she told the House of Representatives.

Ms Marsudi noted the new government had committed to strengthening co-operation between the Quad grouping and AUKUS – the Australian, UK, US security pact over which Jakarta has previously expressed strong reservations – but also committed to strengthening relations with Southeast Asia.

Ms Marsudi said Senator Wong had told her she would try and arrange a trip a day ahead of Mr Albanese’s visit. Senator Wong has called for Australia to further raise its profile and influence in the region.