VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta - The government of Indonesia will firmly continue its diplomacy of defending Palestine in international forums through the year of 2020, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated in her Annual Press Statement remarks in Jakarta, Wednesday. "Indonesia is aware that the road we will face would be steep and not easy to run into. Yet the efforts to support Palestine will not ever be down," Marsudi said.

The efforts, including zero tariff for Palestine's products to enter Indonesia following two commodities that have already duty free, which are dates and virgin olive oil, she said.

Aside from that, the government will also continue the construction of an Indonesian hospital in Hebron and school in Ramallah, extension of hospital building in Gaza, training of unconventional water treatment, as well as building capacity for Palestine polices, notably related to the country's membership in Interpol.

At the same occasion, Marsudi explained about Indonesia's plan of measure as this nation occupies the positions of non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and member of the Human Rights Council (HRC).

For this year's membership of UNSC, Indonesia is carrying the theme of counter-terrorism, "and will conduct the Informal Gathering Security Reform to encourage the reform of UNSC, also to encourage the similar view of the institution."

While for HRC, Indonesia will not allow the international institution to be a political tool for certain parties, Marsudi reiterated.

This Annual Press Statement is one of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' agendas that the minister delivers remarks in the beginning of the year. (ANTARA)