Key Points of Prabowo's Meeting with Former President and Vice President at the Presidential Palace
President Prabowo Subianto invited former President and Vice President, the chairmen of parliamentary political parties, and the former Foreign Minister to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 3 March. The meeting, which discussed the conflict in the Middle East, lasted about four hours from 7:30pm to 11:30pm WIB. CNNIndonesia.com summarises the key points of the meeting:
Diplomacy channel emphasised
Foreign Minister Sugiono said he had communicated with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, conveying the importance of resolving the conflict at the negotiating table to halt the escalation.
“We also emphasise the importance of returning to the negotiating table,” Sugi said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday night.
Sugi disclosed in his communications with Araghchi that Indonesia’s position expresses a respect for the sovereignty of one country’s territory.
In addition, he reiterated Prabowo’s intention to become a mediator in this conflict.
“I also convey the concerns of our colleagues in Gulf states about the attacks they are facing in their respective regions,” he said.
Prabowo telephoned Gulf state leaders
In addition, Sugi noted that Prabowo has established direct communications with leaders of Gulf countries amid the escalation of the Middle East conflict.
Gulf states are countries in the Middle East close to Iran, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.
“The calls have been made. The calls have been made and we are waiting for MbS’s time; we have not yet been able to arrange a meeting,” said Sugiono.
Chances of BoP success declining
Meanwhile, former Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda acknowledged that the Board of Peace (BoP) could have reduced chances of success amid the escalation of the conflict in the region.
“This was conveyed earlier. Reiterated again. Especially with the war in Iran, the prospect that the BoP and its mission to ceasefire, arms ceasefire, then humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction may have reduced the chances of success,” Hassan said.
He interpreted that Prabowo is also starting to view that BoP’s achievement of its peace mission is diminishing.
Hasan again stated that Prabowo is prepared to reevaluate Indonesia’s membership in BoP amid this escalation.
“There is such an impression, and from his communications with other heads of state, particularly the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, the impression is that BoP’s potential for success has diminished; we will see how it develops,” he said.
At the same time, NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh said Indonesia remains in BoP amid the warming of the conflict.
Nevertheless, Paloh said President Prabowo Subianto is not closed to reevaluating Indonesia’s membership in BoP under these conditions.
“As of today, perhaps still in that position, unless there is development with several other countries later, reevaluating the meaning of Indonesia’s presence in BoP with several other countries,” Paloh said.
National interest as the main priority
Meanwhile, PKB Chairman Cak Imin said that the discussions in the meeting emphasised the primacy of national interests amid the conflict.
He said the meeting discussed comprehensively preventive steps in facing this situation.
“The national interest of our nation is the most important in all aspects of cooperation with anyone,” Cak Imin said.
(mnf/wis)