Australia reiterates commitment to supporting Indonesian sovereignty

The Australian government is firmly committed to supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Gary Quinlan AO stated in Jakarta on Wednesday night.

As one of the geographically closest neighbors, Australia has, since long, supported Indonesian independence, including its sovereignty and territorial integrity, he remarked after launching an exhibition at the National Museum in Jakarta.

"Of course, Australia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Indonesia in the entire archipelago. This is a serious commitment," he emphasized.

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The ambassador believes that Indonesia’s territorial integrity holds significance for both domestic and regional stability.

The meeting between President Joko Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit held in Bangkok last week demonstrated that Australia lends significant support for the territorial integrity of Indonesia, he pointed out.

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As a country adopting a democratic system, Australia perceives the differences in opinion as being something normal, including that in the parliament, he noted.

However, he made assurance that all major political parties in Australia remain resolute to supporting the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.

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Australia’s commitment to support the Indonesian sovereignty is crucial to know since several members of the Australian parliament had met with Indonesian human rights activist Veronica Koman last month.

The East Java Provincial Police have named Koman a suspect for allegedly spreading hate speech over the attack on a Papuan student dormitory in Surabaya a few months ago.

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The attack on the Papuan student dormitory fueled a spate of riots in the provinces of Papua and West Papua a few months back. 

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