US Envoy Hopes for 'Momentum' with Indonesia

Washington (News Today) - The nominee to be the next US ambassador to Indonesia pledged Wednesday to build “momentum” to enhance warming relations but also said he would press for a better climate for investors. Scot Marciel, a longtime US diplomat in Southeast Asia, was tapped as envoy to Jakarta as President Barack Obama’s administration increasingly looks at the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation as a key partner.

“Indonesia is a country of substantial importance to the United States,” Marciel told his confirmation hearing in the Senate, which is expected to approve him.

“Both Indonesia and our bilateral relationship are on a positive trajectory, but there is much work to do to maintain and enhance the momentum and to build an even stronger relationship,” he said.

Marciel, currently the deputy assistant secretary of state focused on Southeast Asia, credited Indonesia with major improvements over the past decade in embracing democracy and improving its human rights record. But he called for greater liberalization of the economy in Indonesia, which with the world’s fourth largest population is seen as a vast market for foreign companies.

“Certainly for us and for me if I’m confirmed, trying to deal with the business climate issues and restrictions on trade and investment would be a very high priority,” Marciel said.

Source : kompas

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