REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, UNITED NATIONS - Indonesia hails the UN general assembly non-member observer state status for Palestine and the country will continue to support Palestine`s bid for UN full membership, according to Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa.

"The decision is historic for the realization of a two-state solution vision, where Palestine and Israel could live side by side peacefully," Minister Marty told the press on Friday.

Indonesia, a co-sponsor of Palestine`s UN membership bid resolution at the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, believes that Palestine`s full membership is consistent with the two-State solution vision. The UN General Assembly finally voted overwhelmingly to recognise Palestine as a non-member observer state - a move strongly opposed by Israel and the US. The assembly voted 138-9 in favour, with 41 nations abstaining.

"Alhamdulillah (Praise the Lord -Ed) our efforts have yielded optimal result for the success of Palestine to become an observer state in the UN. However, the work is not finished yet, of course," Marty stated.

"The next steps, we will continue our joint efforts with other countries to support Palestine`s UN full membership bid," he said.

With Palestine`s status upgrade in the UN, Indonesia hopes the international community could stop Israel from committing violations of international laws in the occupied Palestinian territories. Marty also hoped that more countries will give recognition to the Palestinian state. Indonesia will never recognize Israel`s sovereignty as long as Palestine has not gained its independence and UN full membership status, the minister stated.

"We will talk about the establishment of diplomatic relations with and recognition of Israel, only when there is an independent Palestinian state," he stated.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Minister Marty held bilateral talks with a number of leaders, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the special envoy of UN-Arab League for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

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