Iraq war could be destabilizing: Hassan
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, has warned that any unilateral act against Iraq would only provoke destabilization in the immediate region and beyond.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly session in New York on Wednesday, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said that peaceful efforts should be fully utilized in addressing the issue.
"Existing UN mechanisms should be fully utilized and, if need be, strengthened," Hassan said in his speech, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post.
"Any unilateral use of force risks not only undermining the authority of the UN but would also carry with it grave implications, destabilizing the immediate region and indeed beyond," he remarked.
The call was made as the U.S. tried to find ways to attack Iraq, despite the latter's unconditional acceptance of the return of UN weapons inspectors to the country.
Indonesia has repeatedly voiced its opposition against the use of force against Iraq and urged the international community to settle the issue through the UN Security Council.
"The situation in Iraq cannot be viewed in isolation. How we address this problem will have repercussions on the longer- standing issue of Palestine and the challenge of terrorism," Hassan added.
The minister, however, emphasized that, for its part, Iraq had fully to comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
"We are encouraged by the recent decision of the government of Iraq to allow the return of UN inspectors," Hassan remarked.
In the speech, Hassan also tried to brush aside allegations that Indonesia was not fully cooperating in the global war on terrorism.
"In some international circles, Indonesia has been portrayed as less than fully enthusiastic in the global fight against terror on the basis of a mistaken perception that it is lenient with radical Muslim groups," he said.
At the same time security officials in Jakarta claimed that they had taken a number of steps in the fight against terrorism. These included the arrest and deportation of a senior operative of the al-Qaeda terrorist network in Southeast Asia.
The government also announced that it had started an investigation into Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who had been accused by many countries as being a major terrorist leader.
"We shall continue to provide protection of civilians from terrorist acts that disrupt public order and cause widespread suffering," the minister remarked.