RI asks OIC to help settle Syrian issue

Antara News, Mon, February 20 2012

 "The minister said Indonesia had written to Kazakhstan as OIC chairman asking the organization to play a greater role in solving the Syrian issue."

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government appealed to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday to play a greater role in addressing various global issues including a conflict in Syria.

"Of course, the OIC has the potential to voice its views and becomes part of solution. What is more, Syria has not shown signs of improvement. This commission can be part of solution," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at the Presidential Office here on Monday.

The minister said Indonesia had written to Kazakhstan as OIC chairman asking the organization to play a greater role in solving the Syrian issue.

He said the OIC`s Human Rights Commission should have a commitment to continuously encourage the protection of human rights in the region.

Meanwhile, Chief of the OIC`s Human Rights Commission for Indonesia Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin said the commission was set up only in July 2010.

"The structure of the commission has just been completed. We are also in the process of discussing rules and procedures and identifying issues," she said.

She said the commission was set up to respond to issues following the Cairo Declaration.

Earlier in the day, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received a visit from OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and a delegation of the OIC`s Permanent Independent Commission for Human Rights.

The commission is holding a meeting in Jakarta to discuss a number of issues related to the exercise of human rights as well as other international issues.

The meeting which opened on Monday will end on Friday.

Editor: Heru

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