RI remains against ties with Israel<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia remains firmly against establishing
\ndiplomatic relations with Israel and refutes suggestions that a
\npeace agreement between Damascus and Tel Aviv would be a
\nprecursor to ties with Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"That's what he thinks...We continue to remain in our
\nposition,\" Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told
\nThe Jakarta Post yesterday when asked to comment on Israeli
\nFinance Minister Abraham Shohat's statement that formal ties will
\nsoon be established.<\/p>\n
Shohat said on Friday in New Delhi that ties with Indonesia
\nand Malaysia would be formed not longer after a peace with Syria
\nwas established, which he believed would come soon.<\/p>\n
Shohat was speaking at the end of a five-nation tour of Asia
\nwhich included Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Thailand and
\nVietnam.<\/p>\n
Both Indonesia and Malaysia are predominantly Moslem countries
\nwhose populations remain adamantly opposed to the Jewish state.<\/p>\n
Indonesia strongly opposes Israel for its occupation of
\nPalestinian territory. However, it has expressed its support for
\nthe current peace process and the breakthrough it has provided
\nfor Palestinian self-rule.<\/p>\n
\"Our position remains the same. Diplomatic relations with
\nIsrael can only begin after the resolution of the Palestinian
\nquestion and the Arab-Israeli conflict,\" Alatas said at his
\noffice yesterday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Indications that Jakarta and Tel Aviv have been slowly
\nreconciling began when Israeli Prime Minister, the late Yitzhak
\nRabin, visited Jakarta in October 1993 for a few hours.<\/p>\n
Officials at the time stressed that the meeting was held on
\nRabin's request and that President Soeharto was acting mainly in
\nhis capacity as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.<\/p>\n
Last October, Soeharto and Rabin again held a half-hour parley
\nin New York when the two attended the 50th anniversary
\ncelebrations of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
Officials at the time were rather nonchalant when asked
\nwhether bilateral issues were discussed during the meeting.<\/p>\n
This was the last meeting between the two heads state before
\nRabin was assassinated just two weeks later.(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-remains-against-ties-with-israel-1447893297",
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