RI calls on Israel, Palestine to resume direct talks

Antara News, Thursday, September 30, 2010 18:06 WIB | National

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has called on Israel and Palestine to resume their direct negotiations to "find solutions on all final status issues."

Indonesia made the call in Foreign Affairs Minister Marty M. Natalegawa`s speech at the 65th session of The United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 28.

"Indonesia will also work tirelessly to ensure that the United Nations continues to discharge its historic responsibilities on the question of Palestine," Marty said adding that Indonesia welcomed and supported the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

He said the talks were "a precious opportunity for Palestine and Israel to find solutions on all final status issues."

But he also said Indonesia deplored the Israeli government`s decision not to extend the moratorium on the building of settlements in Jerusalem. "The decision does not in any way contribute to a climate conducive for the direct negotiations," he said.

"We will continue to contribute to the capacity building of Palestine and help the Palestinian people prepare for the day when they finally exercise their right to sovereignty," Marty said.

Speaking about the United Nations itself, Marty said this world body was facing a multitude of challenges, that were complex, multifaceted, and trans-national in nature and defy mere national solutions. Thus, international cooperation was needed.

"Precisely, challenges of the type the United Nations is potentially best equipped for. This central role for the United Nations derives, above all, from its near universal membership," Marty said, emphasizing that the UN needed to be representative and effective, capable of delivering peace and security worldwide.

He said the United Nations should equally serves the interest of all nations, developed and developing, large and small.

"The world needs a United Nations that provides a robust institutional support for efforts to achieve prosperity and equitable development for all. A United Nations that advocates not only political and civil rights but also economic and social rights and promotes democracy and justice." he said.

"In short, a United Nations must be able to play a central role in global governance," he added.

About the Security Council, Marty said this core body must better reflect the contemporary world, not that of 1945. A more representative Council would be a more effective Council. The General Assembly must be revitalized and an efficient Assembly was a more effective Assembly.

The central role of the United Nations in global governance owes not only to its capacity to reform, to enhance its representative character, but also to deliver in overcoming contemporary global challenges. To deliver on its Charter-provided purposes, or as he eloquently put it "to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations."

As a member state, he said, Indonesia will do its part and continue to contribute to UN peacekeeping efforts and strive to ensure that the recent positive momentum on the issue of disarmament is maintained.