Experts say Prabowo, Pakistan PM's Tehran plan offers hope for peace

An international relations observer Teuku Rezasyah of Padjadjaran University (Unpad) has assessed that Indonesia-Pakistan diplomacy in efforts to curb military escalation in Middle Eastern countries could be a ‘small candle’ or a beacon of peace for people worldwide, especially in the Middle East, reflecting Indonesia’s consistency in pursuing global peace. Rezasyah says that de-escalation is crucial, provided it is directed primarily at the United States, which he describes as the cause of the crisis in the Gulf and could even trigger World War III. He urged that, in pursuing de-escalation, Indonesia and Pakistan foreground the root causes from an international law perspective and breaches of the principles of the UN Charter. Once Indonesia and Pakistan show united resolve, the initiative should be consulted with other bodies such as the Developing Eight (D-8), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Arab League, to form a framework for UN General Assembly resolutions and UN Security Council decisions. All subsequent processes should be turned into public diplomacy material, so that they become reference for international media. In the context of the active diplomacy by President Prabowo with Prime Minister Sharif, Rezasyah says the effort is very important for Indonesia and Pakistan, fellow members of the D-8, with Iran as a member too. Besides D-8 membership, Indonesia and Pakistan are modern democracies with Muslim-majority populations that could serve as references for sustainable world development, Rezasyah said. The coordination between Indonesia and Pakistan will be a valuable asset for the development of the D-8, which will host its summit in Jakarta in April. The plan to visit Tehran was conveyed by President Prabowo during a meeting with clerics, ulama and Muslim scholars at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday night (5/3). “He (President Prabowo) earlier told us before this meeting that he had spoken on the telephone with the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” said Jimly Asshiddiqie, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Ulema Council (ICMI). “And I am grateful that the President (Prabowo), the Prime Minister of Pakistan are willing to accompany the President to Tehran. That was explained by the President,” he added.