OIC: Indonesia to send 90 military police to Lebanon

 

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said his government had decided to send 90 military police personnel to Lebanon in addition to the 850 infantry troopers already assigned to maintain peace in that country.

 

The president made the statement in a press conference on the results of his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on the sidelines of the 11th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) here.

 

“I have agreed to comply with the United Nations request to send 90 military police in addition to the 850 infantry personnel already assigned there,” President Yudhoyono said.

 

The head of state said that Indonesia was always open to request for additional peacekeeping forces provided that they were under the UN peace mission and were assigned to prevent the outbreak of a new war.

 

“We are ready to help in order to prevent a new Israeli attack such as what happened in 2006,” the president said.

 

He said that the Indonesian government remained fully committed to supporting Lebanese sovereignty and hoped that all sorts of violence would be ended.

 

Besides meeting with the Lebanese prime minister, the president also held talks with Bangladeshi Acting Prime Minister Fakhrudin Ahmed.

 

The meeting which lasted for less than an hour discussed preparations for the holding of a general election in Bangladesh.

 

The Indonesian government is also committed to assisting Bangladesh.

 

The OIC`s 11th summit, which was held on March 13-14, was attended by 57 countries and discussed the adoption of a new charter of OIC.