JAKARTA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A senior official at Indonesian foreign affairs ministry deplored the United States' ban against citizens of Muslim-majority countries from entering the nation related to its security policies.
"We would always respect the policies taken by new administrator of the United States. Even though it is the exclusive rights of the United States, we deplore it," the ministry's spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said at a press briefing held here.
He said so far visa process for Indonesian nationals intending to go to the United States remain opened and no new policy was applied in the process.
Arrmanatha said efforts to overcome terrorism issue in the world should be conducted by intensifying cooperation with other countries.
He expected that the United States latest policy to ban people from Muslim-majority counties would not hinder the placement process of refugees sheltered in Indonesia.
Under cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, Indonesia shelters around 13,000 refugees, among others came from countries affected by the United States new immigration policy.
Indonesia is the World's Muslim most-populous country which is not affected by the policy.
Through the executive order recently signed by the United States President Donald Trump, the United States temporary bans people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya to enter the nation's soil.
The ban takes into effect in 90 days as the United States new administration improves its security system in the country.
The United States Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph Donovan said here on Monday that Indonesia and other 40 Muslim-majority nations are not affected by the ban.
"I would emphasize that there is no ban for Indonesian citizen intending to travel to the United States," Donovan said.
According to the ambassador, the ban has nothing to do with Islam as it was not applied against other Muslim majority countries.
To respond impacts from the new immigration policy, the Indonesian embassy to the United States has issued travel advises for nationals staying in that country to "know their rights" and remain vigilant in monitoring the developing situation.
