REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi should take four main steps to transform Indonesia into a maritime axis, noted Hikmahanto Juwono, an international law expert from the University of Indonesia.

"In his cabinet, President Joko Widodo stated that the ministers do not need to have their own vision and mission. The ministers are asked to translate the vision and mission of Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla," Juwono remarked here on Tuesday (28/10).

Firstly, the foreign affairs minister should finish the code of conduct and code of engagement that had been initiated by Marty Natalegawa associated with potential conflicts between the officials from overlapping maritime areas.

The effort was undertaken to avoid the recurrence of the incident that took place several years ago wherein the officers were arrested by the Malaysian authorities and treated as prisoners.

Secondly, the minister should strike a deal with countries having maritime borders with Indonesia, so that they did not commit such mistakes in the Indonesian territory.

"This should be done to avoid a number of incidents at the border areas," he affirmed.

He cited the construction of a lighthouse by Malaysian authorities in Indonesia's area. Australian authorities also did not enter the Indonesian territory while turning back the asylum seekers.

Thirdly, the minister should ask the Chinese government related to the country's nine-dash line map. If the Chinese government staked its claim on the territory of the Natuna Sea, then Indonesia can act as an honest peace broker in the South China Sea.

"Indonesia should immediately declare its border dispute with the Chinese government," he emphasized.

The fourth step necessitated that the minister should continue to negotiate border disputes in sea areas with neighboring countries based on the Law of the Sea 1982.

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