REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The support offered by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Palestine should be followed by concrete steps and actions and not just in the form of political support, stated Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi.
The Indonesian foreign minister made the remarks while delivering a report on the results of the ministerial meeting on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif at the Fifth Summit of the OIC here on Monday.
"I would like to stress that the political support for Palestine should be coupled with concrete steps and actions, which will be included in the Jakarta Declaration," she noted.
The Jakarta Declaration is one of the documents, which will be produced by the Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC. It contains concrete steps that will be taken for Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Syarif.
The foreign minister reaffirmed that the Palestinian issue could not be solved by only one state. To this end, the OIC summit is expected to come up with a joint solution, which reaffirms the principle position and commitment of OIC member countries in supporting the Palestinian independence and the settlement of the Jerusalem issue.
Earlier, at the opening of the OIC ministerial meeting, the Indonesian foreign minister had reaffirmed the importance of the OIC extraordinary summit to support Palestine.
"The longer we wait, further will be the delay in the restoration of the basic rights and freedom of the Palestinian people," remarked Retno.
The foreign minister also explained Indonesia's commitment to contributing donation worth US$1.5 million annually for several years ahead to assist the Palestinian people.
The Indonesian government has contributed US$1 million to Palestine through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
The Fifth Extraordinary Summit of the OIC was opened on Monday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) greeted the participants.
In the company of Minister Marsudi and Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, President Jokowi welcomed the heads of state/government of Algeria, Egypt, Oman, Gambia, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan, Palestine, Libya, and Pakistan.
Also present at the opening ceremony of the second day of the summit were former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and former vice presidents, Try Sutrisno and Boediono.
During the opening ceremony, Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas and OIC Secretary General Iyad Meen Madani will also deliver their speech.
President Jokowi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the presidents of Pakistan and Sudan and to receive courtesy calls by the Libyan prime minister, the Iranian foreign minister, chairman of the council of State of Oman, Saudi Arabian foreign minister, and deputy prime minister of Qatar.
The Fifth OIC Extraordinary Summit meeting, being held in Jakarta from Sunday to Monday on Palestine and Al-Quds, is being attended by more than 500 members of delegations from 49 OIC member countries, two observer countries, and five representatives of the UN Security Council's permanent members, and the UN special envoy in the Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations Quartet.
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