KEDUTAAN BESAR REPUBLIK INDONESIA
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
8 Darwin Avenue, Yarralumla, Canberra, A.C.T. 2600
AUSTRALIA

 

PRESS RELEASE
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

1. The Government of Indonesia has followed with deep concern the latest development in the Iraqi crisis. In anticipation of the possible outbreak of war in Iraq, the Government of Indonesia has temporarily closed the Indonesian Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. The Ambassador of Indonesia to Iraq and the last batch of Indonesians, consisting of Embassy staffs and students, have left Iraq on 17 March 2003 for Damascus, Syria and Amman, Jordan. Currently, two Indonesian students have chosen at their own will to stay in Iraq, despite efforts by the Ambassador to persuade them to leave the country with other Indonesian nationals.
   
   
2. Since 18 January 2003, the Indonesian Government has undertaken a three-step scheme to evacuate Indonesian nationals from Iraq, which totaled 83 evacuees. These efforts were taken in anticipation of the worst outcome of the Iraqi crisis. In view of the situation in Iraq, the Indonesian Government has previously set-up a National Team dealing with the impact of the crisis in Iraq. The team is assigned to prepare, plan, carry out and control efforts in protecting and securing the safety of Indonesian nationals in Iraq and neighbouring countries. The team, led by former Chief of Staff Widodo AS, has visited on 13 February to 4 March, 8 neighbouring countries of Iraq in which reside approximately 50 thousand Indonesians. The said-governments have guaranteed to facilitate and assist in obtaining necessary documents for Indonesians to be evacuated into the countries.



3. The Government of Indonesia has consistently emphasized its principled position of opposing unilateral military action towards Iraq. Indonesia is of the conviction that diplomatic efforts should be further strengthened to overcome the Iraqi crisis through the UN Security Council mechanism. Parallel with diplomatic endeavours at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels, the Indonesian Government has nurtured the spirit of partnership between inter-faith leaders and other elements of the Indonesian society in order to prevent the war from happening, and emphasized on the role of the United Nations in finding solution to the problem of Iraq. The Indonesian Government has facilitated the inter-faith leaders' mission to Australia, The Vatican and Belgium (European Union) to express the concern of religious communities in Indonesia in light of the possible outbreak of war threatening peace to all humankind.
   
   
4. The Indonesian Government understands and shares the sentiment and sympathy of the Indonesian society who oppose war. The Government believes that the reaction and sympathy will be expressed in democratic ways and in an orderly manner. Jakarta, 18 March 2003

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