Perez's planned visit opposed

Perez's planned visit opposed

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Committee for World Muslim Solidarity (KISDI) is against Israeli foreign minister Shimon Perez's planned visit to Indonesia at the invitation of the youth wing of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

"We have sent a note to NU general chairman Hasyim Muzadi, urging him to cancel the invitation," KISDI secretary Adian Husaini said, after delivering a lecture at Al Azhar Mosque in Jakarta on Friday.

As far as many Muslims are concerned, he pointed out, Perez's visit to Indonesia would hurt their feelings, especially in view of the current strife-torn situation in Palestine.

Adian was of the opinion that to prevent national disintegration, it would be better to cancel the invitation to the Israeli foreign minister.

Earlier, a statement by general chairman of the NU Youth Front Maksum Zuber was quoted as saying that he had invited Perez to a seminar on NU's vision of culture across the world on March 30, 2002, and that Perez had accepted the invitation.

Meanwhile, information and mass media director Wahid Supriyadi was not very sure that Perez would really come to Indonesia as Israel and Indonesia still have no diplomatic relations under which immigration documents are normally issued. -- Antara