Kerry in Indonesia to get support in fight against ISIS

The US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Indonesia yesterday to attend the inauguration ceremony of Indonesian President Joko Widodo and to seek help from countries in Southeast Asia in the American-led fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Middle East.

During his visit Kerry will hold bilateral meetings with Widodo, the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore, the Sultan of Brunei, the Australian prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs in the Philippines.

Senior officials from the US State Department have said that the talks will deal with disputes over the South China Sea, where growing Chinese control has become a concern for both the US and its Asian allies. The talks will also address how to contain the Ebola virus and improve trade across the Pacific.

The priority of these discussions, however, is for the US to seek out more help in their fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq and how to prevent the organisation from recruiting militants from Southeast Asia. Furthermore, Kerry will discuss the possibility of freezing the assets of militants with Widodo but in a way that remains in line with the policies of the United Nations.

It was reported that progress has been made on these issues and that the US wishes to encourage Indonesia to fulfil its duties as a member of the United Nations.