Greater diplomatic efforts urged

Greater diplomatic efforts urged

JAKARTA: A noted religious figure urged the government on Monday to step up its foreign diplomatic efforts to request the U.S. to cease military attacks against Afghanistan.

"I'm waiting for the government to make more concerted diplomatic efforts," Yusuf Hasyim, a leader of Tebu Ireng Islamic boarding school, said, after meeting with Vice President Hamzah Haz at Merdeka Selatan Palace.

Before meeting Hamzah, Yusuf, the uncle of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, held meetings with other high-ranking officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah to obtain information on what action the government will take to ask the U.S. to halt its military attacks on Afghanistan.

Yusuf expressed concern that the attacks, which were designed to be limited and selective, had spread arbitrarily, targeting residential areas, hospitals and other social institutions, causing a large number of civilian casualties.

He said that he had coordinated with other Islamic boarding schools to gather funds for social relief badly needed by the Afghans. -- Antara