Megawati tells U.S. not to invade Iraq<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri, leader of the
\nworld's most populous Muslim country, for the first time called
\non the United States not to invade Iraq unilaterally.<\/p>\n
She also called on the United States to apply the principles
\nof democracy it always championed in regard to Iraq.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia called on the Unites States, which has been
\nrecognized and admired as the advocate of democracy, freedom and
\nhuman rights, as well as its allies, to exercise self-restraint
\nand refrain from unilateral action or use of force against Iraq.\"<\/p>\n
The statement was made during the informal consultation of the
\nOrganization of Islamic Countries (OIC) here on Wednesday. The
\nPresident reiterated the stance at a press conference later
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
At the meeting, Megawati urged the OIC to adopt a unified
\nstance and find ways to avert war. \"We should not just talk, we
\nhave to find and increase our efforts to avert war in the Middle
\nEast,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The world is on the alert as the U.S. has submitted the second
\nresolution draft to the UN Security Council, that opens the
\npossibility for the use of force in disarming Iraq, while at the
\nsame time France has submitted a memorandum against it.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Washington as the champion of democracy, Megawati
\nsaid the U.S. should apply the principles of democracy
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n
\"America is also part of the world, that has a pivotal role in
\nthe establishment of the United Nations, and has to play its part
\nto follow UN processes in all case, including on Iraq.\"<\/p>\n
To be fair to both sides, Megawati reiterated her call for the
\nIraqi government to \"fully cooperate with the UN weapons
\ninspection team so that the issue may be peacefully solved once
\nand for all.\"<\/p>\n
Trying to win the hearts of Muslims in Indonesia and
\nanticipate possible waves of anti-American protests should
\nBaghdad be attacked, Megawati has taken an opposite stance to
\nWashington regarding Iraq.<\/p>\n
The government has also established a special team, led by the
\ncountry's former military chief Adm. (ret) Widodo A.S., to
\nprepare for the evacuation of Indonesian citizens from the Middle
\nEast should war break out.<\/p>\n
\"Currently, Pak Widodo is in Jordan, he is still conducting a
\nseries of trips to set up an exit point should we need to
\nevacuate our citizens from the region,\" Megawati said.<\/p>\n
Megawati ended her five-days trip to Malaysia to attend the
\nNon-Aligned Movement (NAM) and informal consultation of the OIC
\nand returned to Jakarta on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
She said that so far there was no confirmation as to whether
\nthe OIC emergency summit slated to be held in Qatar on March 5
\nwould take place, although she has confirmed her attendance at
\nthe planned meeting.<\/p>\n
During the trip, the President also had the opportunity to
\ncontinue her role in attempting to help defuse the Korean crisis
\nby meeting North Korea Parliamentary Chairman President Kim Yong-
\nNam, the reclusive nation's no 2.<\/p>\n
\"I repeat our offer to facilitate dialog, either between
\nPyongyang and Seoul or Pyongyang and Washington to end the
\nnuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula,\" Megawati said at the
\npress conference.<\/p>\n
The President also called on NAM countries to strengthen their
\ncooperation, especially in economic and business cooperation
\nbetween Asia and Africa.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that at the 50th celebration of the Asia and African
\nconference in 2005, we already have more constructive and
\neffective cooperation to support each other,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will co-host the Asia Africa Sub-regional
\nOrganizations Conference (ASROC) with South Africa in April.
\nThe conference will be in Bandung, Indonesia, the place where NAM
\nwas initiated in 1955 by five world leaders including founding
\npresident Sukarno, Megawati's father.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-tells-us-not-to-invade-iraq-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}