[ASEAN Report] Indonesian President SBY asks Obama to push for peace in Gaza Strip

Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono talks with US President Barack Obama before ASEAN-US Meeting on Sunday (November 19) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Photo: AP Photo/Vincent Thian in Kompas.com)

The 21^st ASEAN Leaders Meeting took place on Nov. 18-20 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It also marked as a symbolic handover of the Asean chairmanship for 2013 between Cambodia and Brunei.

During the ASEAN Summit on Monday, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked US President Barack Obama to stop violence on Palestinians  in Gaza.

According to Kompas.com’s report, Indonesian Foreign Minister, Marty Natalegawa told journalist that the agenda of the meeting agenda included the problem in Gaza..

SBY’s demand then later was supported by Malaysia. Both countries said that it would be hard for Muslim countries to keep being moderate towards the violation against Muslim people in Gaza by Israel.

Kompas.com reported that President SBY asked Obama to stop the cycle of violence and excessive force deployment in Gaza.

Presidnet SBY also reminded Obama that it had to be imposed immediately in order to repeat the past violence that happened in 2008 and 2009 that killed more than 1.300 Palestinians.

In response, President Obama gave a direct positive feedback, even promising to push the warring parties to make peace.

Marty Natalegawa quoted Obama as saying that  “We listened carefully tonight (Monday), and I will work directly to push the warring parties to soon end the conflict”, according to Kompas.com.

On November 20, the East Asia Summit brought together 8 other world leaders to Phnom Penh, including China’s Wen Jiabao,, Japan’s Yoshihiko Noda, South Korea’s Lee Myung-bak, India’s Manmohan Singh, Australia’s Julia Gillard, New Zealand’s John Key, Unite States’ Barack Obama and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia