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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US Indonesia Preview
HEADLINE: Gaza War Complicates Biden’s Meeting with Indonesia’s Widodo
TEASER: The pair, expected to avoid public disagreement on the war, will elevate bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
PUBLISHED: 11/9/2023 at 10:39p
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
DATELINE: Washington
CONTRIBUTER:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, DJ, Jepsen
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:33
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES: Radio track included. There is a web.))
((INTRO:))
[[President Joe Biden will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the White House Monday in what was supposed to be a straightforward engagement to upgrade U.S. diplomatic ties with a key Indo-Pacific partner. However, the war in Gaza has made the meeting between Israel's staunchest supporter and the leader of the country with the largest Muslim population more complicated. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.]]
((NARRATOR))
Indonesian cities have erupted in pro-Palestinian rallies since the October 7 Hamas attack, and emotions are strong.
((Ika Lutfia, Indonesian Protester)) ((Need female English VO))
"What Hamas and the Palestinian people did against the invaders, Israel, was their way of fighting to achieve their independence. There is nothing wrong because that is also what the heroes of the Indonesian nation did when they fought to achieve independence.”
((NARRATOR))
That passion will be on Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s mind as he meets President Joe Biden at the White House Monday.
((Radio: Siti Mutiah Setiawati is a lecturer of Middle East Studies at Indonesia’s Gadjah Mada University))
((Siti Mutiah Setiawati, Gadjah Mada University)) ((Need English female VO)) ((Zoom))
“Not a single Indonesian president has dared not to defend Palestine. Our founding fathers have laid the foundation of our foreign policy — nonaligned, free and active, defend the oppressed.”
((NARRATOR))
The two sides have a large gap to bridge, particularly on a cease-fire in Gaza, but are keen to maintain good relations.
((NARRATOR))
Monday’s meeting was arranged after Biden skipped the ASEAN summit hosted by Indonesia in September, sending Vice President Kamala Harris in his place and going to Vietnam instead.
((NARRATOR))
The leaders last met at the G20 summit in India this year. They’re expected to upgrade bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a status Jakarta already shares with Beijing.
((Radio: White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre))
((Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary))
“The leaders will explore opportunities to enhance cooperation on the Clean Energy Transition, advance economic prosperity, bolster regional peace and stability and reinforce our people-to-people with ties. The two leaders will also coordinate on efforts to reinforce ASEAN centrality and uphold international law and promote a free and open Indo Pacific.”
((NARRATOR))
A key goal for Indonesia – a limited free trade agreement on critical minerals that will allow Indonesian nickel used in electric vehicle batteries to qualify for tax incentives under the 2022 U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. Indonesia has the world’s largest nickel reserves, which it mines and refines largely with Chinese financing.
((Radio: Lucas Myers, Senior Associate for Southeast Asia at the Wilson Center's Asia Program, via Skype))
((Lucas Myers, Wilson Center)) ((Skype))
“The U.S. is eager to invest in this area especially, because I think through the lens of China competition – making sure that the nickel industry in Indonesia is not completely dominated there – it would be a crucial strategic interest.”
((NARRATOR))
Some American lawmakers are against the deal due to heavy Chinese investment, labor and environmental concerns in the Indonesian nickel industry.
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington.
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