Anggota Komisi VII DPR RI, Mulyanto, mengatakan, pemerintah harus mengedepankan kepentingan nasional daripada mengikuti kemauan asing terkait program Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) yang dapat merugikan PLN.
"PLN dan pemerintah jangan mau didikte oleh pihak internasional untuk segera mempensiunkan dini PLTU-nya bila itu hanya merugikan Indonesia alias masyarakat para pelanggan listrik PLN," katanya.
Menurutnya, harus ada penggantian dari pendanaan internasional sejumlah nilai aset yang dipensiunkan dini tersebut, bila program tersebut akan dieksekusi.
Tanpa kompensasi, lanjut legislator PKS ini, maka PLN akan buntung karena harus menanggung resiko aset yg dipensiunkan dini tersebut secara sendirian.
"Ini kan tidak fair,"
Selain itu, kata Mulyanto, tekanan dan campur tangan asing terhadap pembangunan sektor ESDM, akhir-akhir ini semakin terasa. Mulai dari WTO yang memaksa pemerintah merevisi program hilirisasi mineral, hingga pemaksaan untuk mempensiunkan dini PLTU yang nilai asetnya masih sangat tinggi.
"Kenapa kita harus mengikuti kemauan pihak asing kalau ujung-ujungnya PLN atau masyarakat juga yang dirugikan. Kita kan negara yang berdaulat dan bertanggung jawab terhadap kehidupan rakyat, jadi tidak boleh berlaku seperti inlander, yang mau saja dicocok-hidung oleh pihak lain," tegasnya.
Terpisah, Direktur Utama PT PLN (Persero) Darmawan Prasodjo mengakui mendapat tekanan internasional untuk segera mempensiunkan dini Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Uap (PLTU) di Indonesia sebelum tahun 2030.
Namun ia meminta, agar aset PLTU tersebut dihitung dan diganti dengan cash. Program Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), G20 memiliki komitmen pendanaan sebesar USD 20 miliar atau sekitar Rp 302 triliun (kurs Rp 15.100) untuk pensiun dini PLTU.
Awan Panas Guguran (APG) Gunungapi Semeru terpantau dari CCTV Pos Pantau PVBMG pukul 06.30 WIB, Kabupaten Lumajang, Jawa Timur, Minggu (4/12). - Dok.PVMBG
Gunung Semeru yang berada di perbatasan Kabupaten Lumajang-Malang, Jawa Timur, kembali mengalami erupsi atau letusan disertai dengan awan panas guguran pada Jumat malam pukul 22.05 WIB.
Petugas pos pengamatan Gunung Semeru Yadi Yuliandi dalam laporan tertulisnya menyampaikan bahwa tinggi kolom erupsi Gunung Semeru tidak teramati dan erupsi terekam di seismograf dengan amplitudo maksimum 15 mm dan durasi 596 detik.
Jarak luncur awan panas guguran dari puncak gunung yang memiliki ketinggian 3.676 meter di atas permukaan laut itu tidak diketahui karena pengamatan visualnya terhalang oleh kabut.
Gunung api tertinggi di Pulau Jawa itu masih berstatus siaga atau level III, sehingga pihak Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) mengimbau masyarakat untuk mematuhi sejumlah rekomendasi yang sudah ditentukan.
Pengabdian petugas pantau Gunung Semeru
"Masyarakat tidak boleh melakukan aktivitas apa pun di sektor tenggara di sepanjang Besuk Kobokan, sejauh 13 km dari puncak (pusat erupsi)," tuturnya.
Di luar jarak tersebut, masyarakat tidak melakukan aktivitas pada jarak 500 meter dari tepi sungai (sempadan sungai) di sepanjang Besuk Kobokan, karena berpotensi terlanda perluasan awan panas dan aliran lahar hingga jarak 17 km dari puncak.
Masyarakat juga dilarang beraktivitas dalam radius 5 km dari kawah/puncak Gunung Api Semeru karena rawan terhadap bahaya lontaran batu (pijar).
Kemudian masyarakat juga diminta mewaspadai potensi awan panas guguran, guguran lava, dan lahar di sepanjang aliran sungai/lembah yang berhulu di puncak Gunung Api Semeru.
Terutama sepanjang Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, dan Besuk Sat serta potensi lahar pada sungai-sungai kecil yang merupakan anak sungai dari Besuk Kobokan.
Ukraine has lost 280 military and 10 pieces of military equipment in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Ukraine continued unsuccessful attempts at counteroffensive in the Donetsk and Krasny Liman directions over the past day, the ministry said, adding that the Russian armed forces repulsed 16 attacks by Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk direction and three in the Krasny Liman direction.
During the hostilities, the enemy lost up to 280 Ukrainian military, three armored combat vehicles, four vehicles, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount, a D-20 howitzer, and a US-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar," the ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine also lost up to 210 military in the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions over the given period, the ministry added.
Watch Russian Army Disable Ukrainian Radar Station With Kamikaze Drone
Russian Armed Forces use loitering munition in the special military operation zone for high-precision strikes on enemy military infrastructure.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense published footage that shows the taking out of Ukraine's P-18 radar station in the Kherson region with a Lancet loitering munition – or so-called kamikaze drone.
By definition, loitering munition can passively wait for prey in the air and immediately attack after the target is confirmed. Technically speaking, loitering munitions fill in the niche between cruise missiles and classic military drones, being smarter than the first and much cheaper than the latter. However, they are called kamikaze drones for a reason – they are expendable and their built-in warhead detonates after collision with the target.
Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:
▪️The Russian Army repelled three attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoliman direction in a day. The actions of the sabotage and reconnaissance group were suppressed.
▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 210 fighters and the M777 artillery system in a day in the south of DPR and Zaporozhye region;
▪️The Russian Armed Forces hit three command posts of three mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the DPR and Zaporozhye region;
▪️The Russian Army destroyed up to 70 Ukrainian military personnel and a US-made M777 artillery system in the Kherson direction;
▪️Russian Air defense systems intercepted nine shells of MLRS HIMARS and Uragan per day, 14 Ukrainian drones were destroyed;
▪️Russian troops successfully repelled 16 attacks by the Ukrainian military in the Donetsk direction;
▪️Losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction amounted to 280 fighters.
Sneak peek at agendas of top Russian, US diplomats’ talks in Jakarta with ASEAN countries; Washington says no deployments of nuclear weapons to new storage sites in Europe; and the potential collapse of the Black Sea grain deal looms as Monday’s expiration date approaches. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Kommersant: Sneak peek at agendas for top Russian, US diplomats’ talks with ASEAN partners
The top diplomats of Russia and the United States, Sergey Lavrov and Antony Blinken, are both in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the same time, attending events under the aegis of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
However, it seems that there will be no opportunity for a tete-a-tete, allowing Lavrov and Blinken to discuss the accumulated differences of opinion in person as each of them has his own program, agenda and goals. For example, on Thursday, Lavrov tried to persuade his ASEAN colleagues to resist in every way NATO plans for relocating "some of its military infrastructure" to the Asia-Pacific region, whereas Blinken’s focus was on discussing "Russia’s war against Ukraine," among other things. One of his goals is to convey to neutral countries the idea that they could be subject to the imposition of secondary sanctions.
According to Dmitry Mosyakov, head of the Center for the Study of Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute for Eastern Studies, the main issue is precisely the threat of secondary sanctions.
"ASEAN countries are under enormous pressure to join the sanctions and change their policy with regard to Russia," the expert told Kommersant. He added that the countries in the region cannot ignore this fact because they are highly dependent on the US, which is ASEAN’s largest investment partner and its second-largest trading partner after China.
The share of the US in investment flows to the region amounts to about 22.5%. US-ASEAN trade as at the end of 2021 had increased by 17.9%, to $441.7 bln, which is 20 times higher than the regional group’s trade turnover with Russia.
However, Russia also enjoys a certain competitive edge in some areas, said Yekaterina Koldunova, head of the ASEAN Center and associate professor in the Department of Eastern Studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University). According to her, Russia’s economic interaction with the region is oriented toward "unique points of growth," such as energy, military and technical cooperation, information and communications technologies, medicine, food products and agriculture.
"All of these fields are critically important for the further development of the ASEAN countries," she stressed. Additionally, she noted that, in contrast to the region’s relations with Japan, the US and certain European countries, ASEAN-Russia relations "are not burdened by negative historical memories."
Overall, this is a landmark year for Moscow and ASEAN, marking 30 years of the dialogue partnership and five years of the strategic partnership between Moscow and the alliance. "Thanks to the properly formulated policy since our return to Southeast Asia, we have managed to become an important partner for ASEAN," Mosyakov insisted. "Now, the most important thing for us is to provide support and clarifications, and to preserve trust-based relations," he added.
Izvestia: US says no plans to deploy nuclear bombs to new storage sites in Europe
Washington is not currently planning to deploy any nuclear weapons outside of existing storage sites in European member states of NATO, the US embassy in Moscow told Izvestia amid Warsaw’s calls to include Poland in NATO’s nuclear weapons sharing program. Right now, US B61 bombs are being stored at sites in five NATO countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.
That said, if Washington were to deploy elements of its nuclear arsenal in any country bordering on Russia, it would be viewed by Moscow as an act of incitement, experts cautioned. Such a move could escalate tensions between Russia and the US and even lead to a direct military confrontation.
Poland’s chances of being accepted into the nuclear sharing program are rather slim, says Saeed Khan of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Although nuclear bombs are stored on Turkish soil, the critical factor here is that Turkey does not border on Russia, whereas Poland shares a border with Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad Region.
He told Izvestia that deploying nuclear weapons in Poland may be perceived by Moscow as an unjustified act and would escalate tensions between NATO and Russia. In his opinion, the US deploying nuclear bombs in Poland is unlikely because it would fundamentally alter the geopolitical equation.
Khan stressed that such a move would only increase tensions to an unacceptable level, even potentially bringing them to a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO.
According to Jeremy Kuzmarov, editor-in-chief of Covert Action magazine, if the US ends up deploying its nuclear weapons on Polish soil after all, this would be yet another step toward exacerbating the already highly tense Moscow-Washington relationship and could serve as a tripwire for a potential world war.
He told Izvestia that the situation was reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the world was on the brink of nuclear war. Back then, the US deployed missiles targeting the USSR in Turkey, which triggered Moscow to deploy its missiles on Cuba in response. The expert added that a similar situation is unfolding currently, but with the critical difference now that Poland is that much closer to Russian borders than Turkey was to the borders of the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Chances rising of grain deal collapsing upon Monday’s expiry deadline
The Turkish navy will escort dry-cargo vessels to Ukrainian ports to ensure agricultural exports if Russia exits what is known as the Black Sea Initiative grain deal, the Turkish media reports. Ankara remains a key player with a vested interest in seeing the formal terms for ensuring grain exports from Black Sea ports extended. Experts predict that Turkey may potentially get off the fence and go fully over to the side of Russia’s adversaries in the Ukrainian conflict.
Western news agencies report that the EU is purportedly discussing the possibility of reconnecting the Russian Agricultural Bank, or its subsidiary, to the SWIFT system. Soon, Moscow will have to make a very difficult decision on its further involvement in, or withdrawal from, the Black Sea Initiative (the formal name of the grain deal).
Turkey is urging Russia to adhere to its obligations under the grain deal "in its own unique style," Yevgeny Kogan, professor at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University), writes on his bitkogan Telegram channel.
The reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, as Russia is demanding, would simplify the financial component of the deal, but it seems that global markets do not believe that the deal could fail. Grain futures traders are not exhibiting any jitters and clearly do not anticipate any catastrophe, while market sentiment overall believes that the grain exports will keep flowing and a supply deficit can be avoided, he wrote.
Analysts at the Macro Markets Inside (MMI) Telegram channel, founded by Kirill Tremasov, director of the Central Bank of Russia’s Monetary Policy Department, reported that global food prices are dropping while their growth in ruble equivalent has only been triggered by exchange rate fluctuations.
The price index issued by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in dollar equivalent dropped by 1.4% in June 2023 versus the previous month and by almost 21% in annual terms. The ruble index had grown by 3.7% by May and by almost 10% annually due to a cheapening national currency, they noted.
The grain deal did not benefit Russia. Its Ukrainian component was implemented while the Russian one was not. The export of mineral fertilizers and grain from Russia was virtually blocked in spite of the terms of the deal and the efforts of the UN, while Western sanctions continued to be in effect, said independent industry and energy expert Leonid Khazanov. "Despite counteractions, it was still possible to facilitate the deliveries of agricultural chemicals and grain from Russia thanks to enormous efforts by domestic companies and the government’s support," Khazanov notes.
Moreover, the grain deal has not been profitable for European agribusinesses either as they have taken a hit in financial losses stemming from the flood of food imports from Ukraine into the EU, the expert concluded.
Izvestia: What Biden hoped to see in Suomi
On July 13, US President Joe Biden arrived in Helsinki where he participated in the US-Nordic Leaders’ Summit, thus concluding his European tour, which had kicked off with a visit to the UK and continued in Lithuania at the two-day NATO summit in Vilnius. The meetings resulted in promises of continued support for Ukraine and beefed-up trans-Atlantic ties. Experts contended that Biden’s visit to Finland was largely of a symbolic nature, while pointing out the US does harbor long-term plans for bolstering its influence in northern Europe.
Magnus Oberg, director of the Uppsala University Conflict Data Program (UCDP), said that Biden’s visit was an important but not particularly necessary gesture to demonstrate ties with Scandinavian countries. He told Izvestia that these countries already have good relations with the US and nothing would have changed had Biden opted not to visit Finland. In his opinion, his visit was mostly symbolic and served as a confirmation of sorts of Finland’s recent accession to NATO.
In comments to Izvestia, Alexey Fenenko, professor at Moscow State University’s Faculty of World Politics, noted that Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership increases the North Atlantic Alliance’s options for potentially mounting a blockade of Russia’s westernmost outpost, the exclave of Kaliningrad Region.
"Let’s imagine a scenario wherein Lithuania, under the pretext of track maintenance, blocks [mainland] Russia’s rail connection to Kaliningrad while Sweden, Finland and Estonia simultaneously block [Russian navigation in] the waters of the Gulf of Finland," the expert conjectured.
Additionally, Fenenko said that NATO and US leaders see Scandinavia as a new anti-Russian front, so it is profitable for them to ignite nationalist and anti-Russian attitudes in the region. "Whom will the Americans set off against Russia after the Ukrainian conflict is resolved? The answer is obvious, it is either Finland or Sweden, given these countries’ historical traditions. We are used to Finland and Sweden being countries that were friendly toward us during the Cold War. But let’s recall how many times in history Russia was at war with Sweden, and the openly hostile policy line that Finland took prior to 1948," the political scientist elaborated.
The US views control over Scandinavian countries as the key to controlling the Arctic region, Vladimir Vasilyev, senior research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute for US and Canadian Studies, told Izvestia.
"Nowadays, the Americans think that the Arctic is the future. It has become one of the central elements of US strategy, which complements the European one. [The region offers] resources and strategic control over our most powerful [naval force], the Northern Fleet. It is for good reason that ex-US President Donald Trump once brought up the idea of purchasing Greenland. By the way, that’s when plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Greenland and Europe emerged," the expert explained.
Vedomosti: Russia-China trade turnover grows by 40% in first half of 2023
Trade turnover between China and Russia rose by 40.6% over the first six months of 2023 versus the same period in 2022, amounting to $114.54 bln, according to July 13 data from China’s General Administration of Customs. According to the customs authority, China’s exports to Russia surged by 78.1% to $52.284 bln, while Russian exports to China rose by a more modest 19.4% to $62.263 bln.
"The increased trade turnover between Russia and China is not surprising because China has become Russia’s main trading partner. Now the trade balance has begun to even out; Russia has begun to import more from China. Last year, trade was growing mostly thanks to energy products supplies from Russia," said Sergey Lukonin, head of the Chinese economy and politics sector at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO RAS).
The Chinese government is seeking ways out of negative trends because exports remain very important despite talk of building an economy oriented toward domestic demand, the expert added. In particular, the government is trying to support China’s exports by lowering taxes, increasing tax refunds, and reducing certain payments to the regional and central budgets.
The China-Russia trade turnover has also expanded because, currently, many Chinese companies are actively filling the niches left by exiting Western businesses, noted Andrey Karneyev, head of the Higher School of Economics’ (HSE University) School of Asian Studies. This is seen even in the higher number of Chinese automobile makes and models for sale in Russia, he added.
According to the expert, despite the trade war and mutual restrictions, the trade turnover between China and the US remains quite robust. Lately, China’s exports have been encountering some problems since a number of Western countries, the US in particular, began limiting investments in China. Yet, the main problem is related to the increased cost of Chinese labor as businesses now prefer to seek out new, "frontier" markets with even cheaper labor resources, Karneyev added. Currently, China is rapidly moving away from its status as a manufacturer of added-value, cheap and medium-priced goods to the production of more high-tech products and, as such, is seeking a new development model, the expert concluded.
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews
Lavrov, Blinken Participate in ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are participating in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, both wearing traditional Indonesian shirts, a Sputnik correspondent reported Friday.
The ministers traditionally arrived at the meeting wearing national shirts. With Indonesia chairing ASEAN and EAS this year, the organizers have chosen batik shirts made of hand-dyed fabric with intricate patterns.
Lavrov and Blinken are sitting almost next to each other in the meeting hall, to the right and left of the Philippine representative, the correspondent reported.
ASEAN is the association of 10 Southeast Asian states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, aimed at fostering both political and economic cooperation among its members.
EAS is a forum for dialogue among leaders of the Asia-Pacific region on a wide range of strategic, political and economic issues. The next East Asia Summit will take place in Jakarta in September. Meetings in this format are held annually in conjunction with high-level ASEAN events. Russian and US leaders have also been invited to the forum since 2011.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has encouraged ASEAN and New Zealand to strengthen cooperation in maintaining Indo-Pacific stability, including the Pacific region.
At the ASEAN - New Zealand Post Ministerial Meeting, on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, Foreign Minister Retno said New Zealand was an important ASEAN partner in the Pacific region.
Welcoming the signing of the ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) amendment, Foreign Minister Retno acknowledged the important role of New Zealand as a liaison for ASEAN in the Pacific region.
Foreign Minister Retno further said that the stability of the Pacific region is an integral part with stability in the Indo-Pacific. For this reason, he continued, ASEAN and New Zealand must strengthen cooperation to maintain strategic trust in the region and uphold international law, including principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"We hope New Zealand will continue to support ASEAN's centrality in shaping the regional order and promoting collaboration in the Pacific," said Foreign Minister Retno in a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday, July 13.
Regarding the issue of development in the Pacific, Foreign Minister Retno said, ASEAN must assist Pacific countries in facing various development challenges, including climate change and marine problems.
"We must produce concrete cooperation in line with ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)," explained Foreign Minister Retno.
Foreign Minister Retno also hopes for New Zealand's role in bridging ASEAN cooperation in the Pacific, including plans for cooperation between secretariats between ASEAN and the Pacific Island Forum (PIF).
Jakarta, Indonesia - "The Indo-Pacific is not a battleground. This region must remain stable," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi during the opening of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta on Friday (14/7).
The EAS consists of 18 member countries, including ASEAN members and their partners such as the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India, Australia, Korea, and New Zealand. The EAS serves as an inclusive platform to discuss the dynamics in the region and the world.
Foreign Minister Retno stated that people have high expectations for the EAS as the only forum that involves all key players in the Indo-Pacific region. Currently, the Indo-Pacific is at a crucial moment.
This region will be the largest contributor to global economic growth in the next 30 years. Significant developments in technology, medicine, and renewable energy are happening every day.
"However, we are still very far from ensuring a conducive environment to unlock the full potential of our region. Mistrust and uncertainties still exist. Some say the Indo-Pacific is experiencing symptoms of “a Cold War in Hot Places,” said the Foreign Minister.
In addition to being a net contributor to economic growth, the Indo-Pacific must also be a net contributor to peace and spread the paradigm of collaboration to other regions. The East Asia Summit (EAS) must contribute to realizing the collective aspirations of a peaceful, stable, and inclusive region.
"Imagine the EAS as a train, and our commitment to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and the Bali Principles as the railways. We must make our paths cross and not block each other’s ways,” said the Foreign Minister.
All parties must work together to bridge differences, foster trust, and build an inclusive regional architecture. The existing differences should not be divisive but rather enrich collective efforts and become sources of strength.
The Foreign Minister cited the philosophy of 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,' which means unity in diversity, as a principle that emphasizes how harmony can be achieved through embracing differences to realize common goals. This spirit needs to be embraced by all EAS participants in their discussions and by listening to each other without prejudice.
"We are in this train of EAS. Everyone is welcome aboard," said the Foreign Minister.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia's national statement, the Foreign Minister emphasized two points. First, appreciation for the support and respect for ASEAN's centrality. A united ASEAN (ASEAN that matters) will bring benefits not only to the region but also to the world.
Second, a call to EAS member states to ensure the success of the upcoming East Asia Summit in September. The Foreign Minister urged all parties to "build bridges" and bring together existing differences.
During the meeting, the ASEAN Secretary-General highlighted that cooperation within the EAS framework continues to strengthen, particularly in areas such as green energy, environment, education, health, trade, food security, maritime security, and marine conservation.
The meeting discussed the dynamics in the region and globally, including efforts to promote peace in Ukraine, respect for international law in the South China Sea, stability on the Korean Peninsula, and the resolution of the Myanmar issue.
The meeting emphasized the crucial role of the EAS as a platform for cooperation and dialogue in promoting stability, peace, and prosperity in the region. Broad support was given to ASEAN's centrality, the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus in addressing the Myanmar issue.
The meeting agreed upon the East Asia Summit Plan of Action 2024-2028, which identifies practical areas of cooperation and supports the mainstreaming and implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific within the EAS framework.
