Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday that the US`s decision was certainly in line with the calls made by a number of leaders from various countries, including Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the recent G20 summit held in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Indonesia, Natalegawa said, was one of the countries that had always stated that a compromise would help settle the Syrian problem.
"The option is not always between `not to act` and to act by hitting Syria with force` but can also lie in diplomacy," he pointed out after attending the inauguration of the general debate at the 68th U.N. General Assembly.
"We think it (the call) it was an important factor, following which diplomatic efforts made by the U.S. and Russia had helped reach an agreement on chemical weapons destruction," he added.
In his speech at the opening of the debate, US President Barack Obama warned that the US would remain prepared for military action to protect its interests in context of Syria`s chemical arsenal.
However, he also said that a diplomatic solution was better, "so long as it is supported by credible threat of military action."
Obama also urged the UN Security Council to assure that Syria`s chemical weapons stockpiles would actually be destroyed in line with international laws.
Meanwhile, Natalegawa stated that the country was satisfied that a diplomatic process was being used for a resolution of the chemical weapons issue in Syria.
The first deadline involving Syria`s declaration of the size of its chemical weapons stockpile and its location was met by the Syrian government on Friday.
What needed to be closely monitored, Natalegawa noted, was that the efforts aimed at finding a diplomatic solution were really followed.
"It must be assured that these efforts will not result in a deadlock at the UN Security Council. That is what we have to pay attention to," he stated.
Natalegawa further said that he would convey Indonesia`s view in his bilateral meetings with his Syrian counterpart, Walid Muallem, as well as with US Secretary of State John Kerry, which are scheduled to be held on Friday.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
