The Government will continue to prioritize Palestinian independence in its diplomacy while encouraging other countries in Asia and Africa to contribute to building human resources, Deputy Foreign Minister Wardana has said.

'€œThe Indonesian government has always been active in various international forums to push other countries to do the same thing, including ASEAN. We also discussed the issue in the Palestine Committee [in Tehran] during the Non-Alligned Movement meeting,'€ Wardana said at the Merdeka Building in Bandung, West Java, on Friday on the sidelines of an event to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference.

In the meeting, Wardana said five issues must be considered, including developing effective responses to Israel'€™s illegal activities and supporting Palestine'€™s membership in the UN.

'€œThe third issue is preparing and building human resources. Fourth is pushing for reconciliation in the Palestine, and fifth, enhancing the role of the media in raising people'€™s awareness on the Palestinian issue,'€ Wardana said.

The government will supported human resources by preparing 10,000 Palestinians through various programs in Indonesia over the next five years.

'€œWe have so far provided training to 914 of the 1,000 Palestinians targeted for last year,'€ Wardana said.

Palestinian ambassador to Jakarta Fariz N. Mehdawi expressed hope that other countries would provide similar assistance to supplement that given by 56 countries across the globe, including Indonesia, Pakistan and India.

'€œIndonesia alone has trained 1,000 Palestinians within 5 years. We have accomplished enhancing the capacity of around 650 people this year,'€ Mehdawi said.

'€œAs we speak, Indonesian lender BRI and seven banks and microfinance institutions from Palestine are involved in a number of microfinance projects.'€

The ambassador added that Palestinian agricultural engineers have been trained in flower and strawberry cultivation in Lembang, just north of Bandung.

'€œWe are involved in the training programs every year,'€ he said.

Mehdawi added that each year his embassy sent 15 university students to complete their master'€™s and doctoral degrees in Indonesia.

'€œIn the past two years, 15 of our students have completed postgraduate programs at Gadjah Mada University, Diponegoro University, the University of Malang and the University of Indonesia,'€ he said.

Similar initiatives from Pakistan and India have trained 40,000 Palestinian technicians and engineers.

Mehdawi expressed his gratitude to Asian and African countries for their support in realizing the establishment of the Palestinian state.

'€œNot a single Asian or African country has failed to support Palestine in every aspect that we can think of,'€ he said.

According to Mehdawi, the spirit and values agreed to during the Asian-African Conference 58 years ago have given a new perspective to foreign relations.

'€œI can see now that all the work has been done. All the countries in Asia and Africa are independent, except for one,'€ said the ambassador, referring to Palestine.

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