RI on Alert Over Impact of Syrian Crisis : Presidential Staff

Warsaw (Antara) - Indonesia is keeping abreast of the latest developments in Syria and remains on alert over possible economic impacts if a number of states take a military action against the country, an Indonesian presidential staff said. "We are waiting for the decision of the United States' Parliament on its government's proposal to take a military action against Syria. We are also waiting for France's decision. Britain has rejected it," Presidential Special Staff for Economic Affairs Firmanzah said on the sidelines of President Susilo Bambang Yudhono's visit in Poland on Wednesday. He said that the government would take steps to prevent serious impacts on national economy if the price of crude in the world market increased as a result of the crisis in Syria. "We continue to monitor it to see what steps the United Nations will take. If a military action is taken against Syria, we will see how far the impact will escalate. We will look at it and take policy response," he said. Firmanzah said in the G20 summit in Petersburg in the next few days, G20 members were expected to question the United States about its plan to reduce its financial stimulus and plan to launch a military action against Syria. "The United States will face two pressures in the G20 summit with regard to its plans to reduce financial stimulus and to launch a military action, together with France, against Syria," the presidential staff said. He said that debates on the solutions to these two problems were expected to dominate the G20 summit, because their impacts would be felt not only by Indonesia but also by the world. The US financial stimulus reduction plan has been felt by Indonesia, particularly in the financial and capital markets. Firmanzah said that the impact of a military intervention would affect the world's crude price. "All countries have interests and want to have high economic growth and high employment. No region will get benefit if other regions have low economic growth. If, for example, the manufacture price index in China is improving, it will also raise the region's stock index," he stressed. (*)