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Indonesia reaffirms support for Palestine at Paris meeting
Indonesia has reaffirmed its support for a peaceful two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at a high-level meeting in Paris.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center) along with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (right), OIC Secretary-General Iyad Ameen Madani (left), and several heads of state and government attend the dinner of the 5th Extraordinary OIC Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in Jakarta on 7 March, 2016. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
Indonesia has reaffirmed its support for a peaceful two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at a high-level meeting in Paris.
According to a press statement issued on Monday, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi reiterated Indonesia's stance in support of an independent Palestine at the French-led ministerial meeting on June 3, which was attended by representatives of 27 countries, as well as the UN and the Arab League.
France had convened senior diplomats to discuss Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, which have stagnated since 2014. The talks are aimed at preparing a larger-scale peace conference, which the Associated Press reported would be held by the end of this year.
The June 3 meeting resulted in an agreement to begin discussions on creating incentives, such as capacity building and economic cooperation, for Palestine and Israel to move forward the peace process. The meeting was designed to further negotiations on a two-state solution.
Participants at the meeting stressed that the status-quo should not be allowed to continue and asserted the need for the two Middle Eastern countries to take urgent actions to show commitment toward a peaceful resolution.
Participants unanimously agreed that lasting peace between Palestine and Israel could only be attained through negotiations to reach a two-state solution, in which both countries exist side-by-side securely and peacefully.
"Palestine and Israel must immediately take steps to stop violence, to stop the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and to ensure safety to create conditions that are conducive for peace negotiations," Retno conveyed in the statement.
A paradigm shift was necessary with the support of the international community to reignite and bridge the dormant negotiations between Palestine and Israel, the minister added.
"As the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia will continue to provide political support as well as humanitarian and development assistance, which are needed to push for peace in Palestine," Retno said.
The French initiative convened foreign ministers to discuss a set of outlines accompanied by proposed deadlines that are to be followed by the Israeli and Palestine governments, both of which were not invited to the meeting, toward a two-state solution.
Among those present at the meeting were UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elarabi and US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Israel-Palestine peace talks have remained inactive since 2014, when a US-led initiative failed to progress after nine months of negotiations. (dan)
