Marsudi, Tillerson discuss Qatar crisis over phone

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed several issues, including efforts to resolve Qatars diplomatic crisis, over the phone. 

"Last night, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson phoned me. We had planned to communicate through a telephone call this week," Marsudi noted here on Wednesday.

Both ministers discussed three main issues during the phone call, with the first being the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, where several Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and triggering the worst rift in years among some of the most powerful states in the Arab world.

Minister Marsudi has highlighted Indonesias stance in this matter and has urged the US government to contribute to reducing tensions in the Gulf and to promote dialog among countries involved in the rift.

"Rex Tillerson said that the US was committed to making a contribution and continued to invite both parties to hold a dialog," Marsudi noted. 

Indonesia has called on the international community to promote dialog and reconciliation amid the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

Last week, Minister Marsudi had welcomed special envoy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, to discuss efforts to reduce tensions and promote dialog in the midst of the Qatar crisis.

The UAE envoy agreed that dialog and political resolution are the only options to resolving the crisis whereas military operation is not an alternative.

Earlier today, Minister Marsudi had also received Foreign Affairs Minister of Maldives Mohamed Asi during a bilateral meeting in Jakarta.

The Maldivian minister also urged that dialog should be held immediately, Marsudi said.

In addition to discussing the Qatar crisis, Marsudi and Tillerson spoke about the preparations for the G20 Summit to be held in Hamburg, Germany, in July.

Marsudi and Tillerson discussed the plan of holding a bilateral meeting between Indonesian President Joko Widodo and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

"We spoke about several issues that might be discussed by the two presidents, such as the threat of terrorism," Marsudi noted.

During the phone call, Marsudi and Tillerson also discussed the recent developments in Marawi City, the Philippines. 

The US Secretary of State has lauded the effort made by Indonesia in initiating a trilateral meeting involving Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to be hold tomorrow in Manila.

Marsudi and her Filipino and Malaysian counterparts, Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano and Anifah Aman, will meet in Manila on June 22 to discuss measures to prevent security problems in southern Philippines from impacting the other two countries.