Singapore - Former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas, who died Thursday morning at a Singapore hospital, was a well-respected statesman and a champion of regional cooperation, Singapore's Foreign Ministry said.

"He was a firm believer in regional cooperation and a tireless promoter of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). He played a crucial role in drafting the ASEAN Charter," the ministry said in a statement.

Alatas, who served as Indonesian foreign minister from 1988 to 1999, and was a senior advisor to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yodhoyono at the time of his death, had been in Singapore to receive medical treatment.

"Pak (a popular Indonesian way of addressing a senior person) Ali will be greatly missed not just by Indonesians but by his many friends in Singapore and throughout the region and the world," the ministry said. (dpa)