Nusa Dua, Bali (Antara Babel) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held a bilateral meeting here on Thursday to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.
After the meeting, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegwa noted that Ban highly appreciated President Yudhoyono for his efforts to have an early end to the Gaza conflict.
"The UN chief highly appreciates President Yudhoyono who has been calling straightforwardly, emphatically, and openly for an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza," Natalegawa remarked.
He stated that the Indonesian and UN leaders have expressed hope that the ceasefire reached in the last couple of days in Gaza can continue to be maintained, and the root cause of the conflict can be addressed immediately.
Marty elaborated that the two leaders also discussed ways to promote Gaza's economy and expressed their concerns over the pressure from Israel.
Besides discussing the developments in Gaza, they also reviewed the situation in Southeast Asia and Yudhoyono's leadership in the framework of the Southeast Asian region.
"They also discussed the developments in Syria and Iraq, and the role of President Yudhoyono in meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals," Natalegawa added.
Yudhoyono and Ban held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 6th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) themed "Unity in Diversity: Celebrating Diversity for Common and Shared Values."
The alliance is an initiative of the UN secretary general that is supported by 114 states and 25 international organizations to develop innovative models for ameliorating identity-based tensions around the world.
The forum's breakout sessions will cover the issues of promoting harmony through inter-religious and cross-cultural dialog, the role of women in fostering understanding among cultures, promoting understanding through the power of sports, arts, music, and entertainment, youth participation in peace-building, media conversation across lines, harnessing the positive power of social media, social inclusion and migration, and the perception of migration.
