"Indonesia will not stop offering support to the Palestinians to achieve their independence."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has committed to allocate funds amounting to Rp2 billion (approximately US 163 thousand dollar) to support Palestinian capacity building in the police and tourism sectors.

MOFA's spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir stated during a press briefing here on Wednesday that the funds were part of the Indonesian government's support, as the other ministries had also committed to providing assistance to Palestine to become an independent nation.

"Indonesia will not stop offering support to the Palestinians to achieve their independence," he remarked.

With regard to the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC's) resolution for Palestine that was not adopted, Indonesia also expresses deep regret over the failure, but the struggle is not yet over, Nasir emphasized.

Nasir stated that the Indonesian government will continue to support Palestine in achieving independence through every multilateral and bilateral forum where Indonesia is a member, such as the Non-Block Movement, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Asia-Africa Conference (AAC).

"We are still holding ongoing discussions with Mr. President (Joko Widodo) to include Palestine's issues in the commemorative summit of the 60th AAC," he noted.

The AAC's 60th anniversary commemorative summit will be held in April 2015, and various events will be organized on the sidelines of the summit. The peak event will be attended by various leaders of Asian and African countries.

Nasir remarked that during the Africa Union meeting on January 30-31, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi will convey the invitation to the African leaders to attend the AAC's 60th anniversary commemorative summit.

Besides the Africa Union meeting, Minister Marsudi's next international agenda will be to attend the ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers Retreat in Kinabalu, Malaysia, on January 27-28.

With regard to the domestic agenda, Minister Marsudi will conduct the Foreign Affairs Minister's Annual Press Statement on January 8 and lead the meeting of Indonesian Overseas Representatives on February 2-5, both to be held in Jakarta.
(T.A060)

Reporter: Azi Fitriyanti
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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