Indonesia-Israel ties discussed by Arab envoys
Indonesia-Israel ties discussed by Arab envoys
JAKARTA (JP): Sixteen Middle Eastern and North African envoys
met on Friday with Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab to
discuss Jakarta's decision to open trade ties with Israel.
"The envoys have asked the government to send the minister or
a delegation to travel to the Middle East explaining the foreign
policy of the country," Alwi said after the almost two hour-long
meeting with the Jakarta-based ambassadors.
The minister said he approved the idea and would discuss the
matter with President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Spokesman for the envoys, Palestinian Ambassador Ribhi Y.
Awad, said the envoys had a frank discussion with Alwi on the
circumstances of Indonesia's decision to open trade ties with the
Jewish state.
"All of the council understood all of his explanations and
stipulations," he said.
Although Indonesia has some informal contacts with Israel,
relations between the two countries are a sensitive issue.
Soon after his election, President Abdurrahman said he wished
to open trade ties with Israel, arguing that even some Arab
countries have ties with Israel.
The President and the minister of foreign affairs have
subsequently been placating critics that the new level of
engagement is not a precursor to full diplomatic relations.
They argued that Indonesia would remain steadfast in its
principle of not opening diplomatic ties until there was a total
solution for the Palestinian question.
Ribhi stressed that the ambassadors had no intention of
pressuring or interfering in Indonesia's domestic affairs.
"We support the stance of the great Indonesia in the context
that they would never abandon the Palestinian nation's political
rights," he said, adding that relations between the countries
represented by the 16 envoys would not change as a result of
Indonesia's new policy.
The envoys were from Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq,
Algeria, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Kuwait,
Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Libya and Morocco.
When asked whether the envoys had sent a protest letter to the
Indonesia government, Ribhi said the envoys did not come to
protest or to pressure Indonesia, but merely sought clarification
on the trade ties.
Alwi meanwhile revealed that Kuwait and Libya had stated their
intention to begin investing in Indonesia.
He said Libya had promised to persuade some 'Petro dollar'
countries to jointly come to Indonesia.
"Kuwait officially said on Thursday that it will open mining
oil projects to the amount of US$6 billion in the country," Alwi
said.
When asked of his plans to meet influential Jewish figures
such as George Soros, Henry Kissinger and Rabbi Schneider, Alwi
said that it would depend on Abdurrahman's schedule in New York
next week.
"In New York if there is time we'll arrange a meeting. We will
also meet with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and
the Portuguese foreign minister," Alwi added.
Abdurrahman will be in the United States on Tuesday following
his whirlwind tour to eight southeast Asian countries. (04)