Indonesia, Iran Agree to Reiterate Support for Palestine`s Independence

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Iranian President Rouhani have agreed to reiterate support for Palestines independence.

"Indonesia and Iran continue to support the cause of Palestines independence," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received here on Monday.

The agreement was one of the results of discussions between Jusuf Kalla and Rouhani on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit held in Margarita Island on September 18, 2016.

In addition, the two leaders also discussed the contribution of Indonesia and Iran to world peace, and agreed on the importance of the unity of and cooperation among Muslims.

On the occasion, President Rouhani invited Indonesian President Joko Widodo to visit Iran.

Discussions between the two leaders at the NAM summit will be followed by a meeting of their foreign ministers in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN).

The Indonesian government earlier urged all Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) members to continue to support the Palestinian people in their struggle to achieve independence.

The appeal was voiced by Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi during a ministerial level meeting of the Palestine Committee of NAM, held in Venezuela, on Friday.

She also emphasized the importance of NAM member countries support for the resumption of the Palestinian peace process.

The Indonesian government fully supports the French governments initiative to reopen the peace talks.

Indonesia was among 28 countries that participated in the Paris Meeting held in June 2016.

The government also encourages civic society organizations to play a bigger role in strengthening support for the peace process.

"Various processes and initiatives carried out for peace in Palestine must be supported," the minister urged.

She also remarked that a stronger international pressure is needed to stop Israel from committing further violence and human rights violations against the Palestinian people.

Israel must also stop construction of illegal resettlements in occupied Palestinian lands.

"Israel must not be allowed to derive economic benefits from the occupied territory," she noted.(WDY)