Indonesia, Turkey to Improve Cooperation to Combat Terrorism

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno LP Marsudi, has met the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in tackling and combating terrorism.

Both the foreign ministers held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Ministerial Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jidda, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday (Jan 21), according to a press release issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received by ANTARA here on Friday.

The ministers also agreed to continue to encourage more intensive communication between the intelligence and law enforcement agencies of both countries to increase intelligence cooperation and information exchange.

As regards the situation in the Middle East, Indonesian and Turkish Foreign Ministers stressed the importance of peaceful relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in order to induce a sense of stability and regional security.

Marsudi and Cavusoglu assessed that a better relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran is important to resolve conflicts and prevent the dangers of terrorism and extremism in the Middle East region.

In this context, the Turkish Foreign Minister welcomed the initiative undertaken by the Indonesian government to actively contribute towards fostering peace and stability in the Middle East region.

According to Cavusoglu, Indonesias efforts to build mutual trust among the Middle East countries will lend a positive energy to the situation in the region.

The two ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East with the Secretary General of the OIC, Iyad Ameen Madani.

At the meeting, Marsudi expected the OIC member countries to increase their contribution in establishing peace and stability in the Middle East which is an area with a majority Muslim population.

She also expected the OIC to encourage cooperation between Islamic countries, especially in promoting Islam as an ideology which blesses the whole world and its true meaning.(WDY)