Bainimarama to open embassy in Indonesia

Indonesian police cleared up the usual traffic jam with an industrial metropolis like Jakarta to afford Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama a free path to Hotel Borobudur yesterday.

Upon arrival at the airport, he was whisked away under tight presidential security and escorted to the VIP Lounge where Commodore Bainimarama was welcomed by Indonesia’s Director General for Asia Pacific and African Affairs T.M. Hamzah Thayeb, Fijian Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, Fiji’s Ambassador to Indonesia Ratu Tui Cavuilati and Indonesian Ambassador in Fiji Aidil Salim Chandra.

The 30 minute drive from Soekarno Harta West of Jakarta to Hotel Borobudur in Central Jakarta drew the attention of the Indonesian masses as police stopped traffic to allow the Prime Ministerial motorcade to pass uninterrupted.

Commodore Bainimarama will open Fiji’s Embassy in Indonesia which augurs well for Fiji’s efforts of joining the Non-Aligned Movement B to refocus Fiji’s relationships away from its traditional trading partners Australia and New Zealand.

Opening the Fiji Embassy also supports an application by Fiji to obtain observer status in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation.

In an earlier statement, Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said that the presence of the Fiji Mission in Jakarta will boost Fiji’s reach in Asia to complement efforts already exerted by the Fiji Missions in Tokyo, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.

Story by: Sneh Chaudhry