Indonesia is ready to become a mediator to settle the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday.
"We fully respect international provisions. Our foreign policy is crystal clear. We strive to maintain friendly relationships with all parties, and we are consistently trying to be a mediator. With the consent of both sides, we are willing to mediate the conflict. We keep offering feasible suggestions," Antara quotes him as saying.
The minister made this statement following his meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
At the June 3 conference on security Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore, Prabowo Subianto proposed a plan for the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, which includes, among other things, a ceasefire, the creation of a 15-kilometer demilitarized zone and the placement of UN peacekeepers on the line of contact. In addition, he believes that the UN should organize and hold referendums "on the disputed territories." Subianto did not specify which territories he was referring to.
On June 8, Secretary-General of Indonesia's ruling party Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Hasto Kristiyanto criticized the defense minister for his proposal on the peaceful settlement in Ukraine. He also drew attention to Widodo's words that the initiative in this case came exclusively from Subianto. The Indonesian president himself said that he had not received any information from the defense minister beforehand about his plan for a peaceful settlement.
The Russian embassy in Indonesia told TASS that Moscow appreciates Jakarta's efforts to help resolve the crisis in Ukraine, but the rejection of Indonesia's initiative shows the unwillingness of Kiev and its handlers to consider peaceful options to resolve the conflict.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
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Based on materials from TASS