Marty: Indonesia's Participation in ISF Must Be Based on a Clear Mandate

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Former Indonesian Foreign Minister (2009-2014), Marty Natalegawa, has stated that the Indonesian government must establish a clear mandate regarding the deployment of 8,000 Indonesian military personnel to join the International Stabilization Force (ISF).

“Of course, the mandate must be clear first, whether it is as a peacekeeping force, or a more active force, for example, disarming groups in Gaza. If it is the latter, then the level of risk will be different,” said Marty after a public discussion in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Marty believes that Indonesia’s participation in the ISF is somewhat unusual, as Indonesia usually sends peacekeeping forces under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council. However, he is confident that this step is a policy that has been carefully considered by the government.

“I am confident that the government has carefully considered these matters,” he said.

Regarding Indonesia’s involvement in the Board of Peace (BoP), Marty said that he sees this from two perspectives. First, the presence of the BoP in general, which he believes has a broader scope than just the Gaza issue because the BoP’s charter speaks of its establishment as an organization that deals with various international conflicts.

“So, this also needs to be considered, that this is indeed Indonesia’s choice, especially considering that in the BoP itself, the role of the chairman as an individual is very prominent. So, this is something that must have certainty, whether this is Indonesia’s position,” he said.

Second, Marty sees the presence of the BoP in relation to the Gaza issue and developments in Palestine. He reminded that Indonesia wants the situation in Palestine to improve in accordance with the main goal within the framework of the two-state solution.

He also questioned whether the BoP is the only means to achieve peace in Gaza, and emphasized that the BoP should not be an institution with goals separate from the principles of the UN Security Council.

Despite doubts about the role of the BoP, Marty believes that Indonesia will work hard to ensure that Indonesia’s voice and vision are taken into account.

“Indonesia, when it becomes a member of an organization, usually does not only become a passive member, but also a member that helps shape and influence the discussion,” he said.