VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Related to the air strikes in Damascus, Syria on Saturday (April 14), three ambassadors of the United States (US) coalition who were involved in the attack in Syria met Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi at Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday (April 19^th). The three ambassadors are US Ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph Donovan, British Ambassador to Indonesia, Moazzam Malik, and French Ambassador to Indonesia, Jean-Charles Berthonnet. After meeting Minister Retno Marsudi, British Ambassador Moazzam Malik said that one of the aims of the meeting was to explain the legal basis of the attacks targeted to the Syrian government facilities under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. He also said the meeting was held with the initiative of the ambassador of the US coalition country, not at the request or invitation from Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"So, I was in touch with Ibu Retno by the end of last week and asked for a meeting for the three of us to come and explain what have occurred. And we offer to share our evidence. We offer to share our legal opinion on the legality of this strike and indeed to offer full cooperation to the Indonesian authority so they are fully aware of what happen in Douma and also what happened previously in Syria and indeed actually sees the need of this convention in the future,” Ambassador Moazzam Malik said.

In addition, Ambassador Moazzam Malik also mentioned that the target of attacks was aimed at preventing the use of chemical weapons in the future. He views that the US coalition states do not intend to change the government or change the direction of the Syrian conflict. Because the only solution of this conflict is an inclusive political process involving all parties. In connection with the legal basis, the British government has explained through www.gov.uk. It has taken refuge in the legal grounds that the attack on Syria was undertaken to overcome the misery of humanity suffered by Syrian people by reducing the Syrian government's chemical weapons capabilities previously suspected to be used for conducting an attack in Douma, Syria. (VOI/Rezha/RHM)