Since arriving at the Al Fashir airport on Jan 31, Indonesias legal team had held discussion with the local government and agencies, including the United Nations Mission in Darfur and the Sudanese authorities, to gain access to evidence.
"Some discussions are being held. Hopefully, we can gain access to evidence and meet our FPU VIII," Foreign Affair Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi stated here on Thursday.
Indonesias legal team will be in Sudan until Feb 6.
The team can stay longer in Sudan, if diplomacy and investigation are still required.
"We continue to ensure that the team can get information related to the case," the minister remarked.
Indonesias legal team had earlier obtained permission to enter Sudan to verify the alleged weapons smuggling incident involving the countrys FPU VIII in Darfur.
"I have communicated with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Gandour, who is currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to provide access to Indonesias legal team to enter Sudan. The foreign minister said he would fully support the team, and he has contacted the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations in New York," Minister Marsudi noted.
The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations has granted permission to Indonesias legal team, Marsudi affirmed.
"This morning at 4 a.m. local time, I contacted our representative in New York, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations has given verbal permission to the team and would help them," she added.
During the conversation with Sudanese officials, both governments had agreed that the issue involving the peacekeeping force would be given priority in their foreign policy, she noted.
"All these years, our peacekeeping force had always been lauded, and such appreciation was also expressed when our ambassador met Gandour. Similarly, when I spoke to Gandour, he respected our peacekeeping force," she asserted.
According to the UN, the peacekeeping mission in war-torn Sudan comprises 19,248 police and military personnel from various countries. This number includes 1,583 police personnel and 13 FPUs of up to 140 personnel each, which constitutes the Indonesian police unit.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
