RI pushes OIC to take ‘constructive steps’

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Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa has urged members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take concrete and constructive steps to help settle crucial problems currently facing the Muslim world.

“The OIC should not only come up with condemning statements, but should go further, by preparing concrete and constructive measures in dealing with many Muslim problems across the globe,” Marty said in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in a press release sent by the Foreign Ministry to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Marty was in Saudi Arabia to lead the Indonesian delegation at the OIC Extraordinary Summit aimed at discussing the latest situation in certain parts of the Islamic world such as the tensions in Syria and Palestine, as well as the Rohingya in Myanmar.

The summit is hosted by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Prior to the summit, Marty also attended an OIC Ministerial Meeting to discuss the issues and draft recommendations to be endorsed at the summit, slated to be held from Tuesday to Wednesday.

On Syria, Indonesia has pushed the OIC to unite in order to stop the bloodshed and the killing of civilians.

“The OIC must be united and send a clear message that the UN Security Council must take serious steps to stop the violence in Syria,” Marty said.

Indonesia has also proposed that OIC member states prepare their peacekeeping personnel in case their presence is needed in Syria.

Marty reiterated the comments of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that debating the political transition in Syria was not appropriate for the time being. “The most important thing is to stop the killing. Political transition can be discussed later, after peace is established,” the minister said.

On the Rohingya, Marty said Indonesia would draw upon its experience in handling ethnic clashes in the past and propose solutions to assist Myanmar in settling the conflict involving Muslim minority.