RI CALLS FOR PEACEFUL MEANS TO SETTLE INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS 

Jakarta - Indonesia calls for the use of peaceful, instead of military, means to settle many global issues and conflicts, including the nuclear problems in Iran and North Korea as well as other critical matters, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.

            "Indonesia's view, in principle, is that peaceful and not military ways should be pursued in settling global issues and conflicts," the President said in his address on the State of the Nation Address and the Government's Financial Notes at the House of Representatives (DPR) plenary session on Thursday (16/08).

            As a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Indonesia would keep on playing a constructive role based on its free and active policy to maintain world peace and security, he said.

            Indonesia had also actively participated in supporting peace efforts and in seeking solutions for the conflicts in the Middle East, namely those in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, peacefully, fairly and permanently through diplomatic means, he added. "Besides sending our Garuda 23A contingent to the UN Peace Mission in Lebanon, we also extended humanitarian aid for our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon," he added.

            The President further added in applying its foreign politics, Indonesia should keep on building partnerships through total diplomacy. "In the past few years, we developed and increased our partnerships with many countries with the aim of serving our national interest," he said.

          Indonesia had established strategic and comprehensive cooperation and partnership agreements with many countries, including with South Korea, the People's Republic of China, Australia, Russia, Japan and India. (Antara, 16/08/07)