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Indonesia reduces diplomatic mission in Afghanistan to 'essential team'

Source
Jakarta Globe - August 16, 2021

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry is preparing evacuation of its embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, as Taliban looks set to overtake power, but it will retain a small team for diplomatic mission, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Indonesia is "closely watching the rapidly changing events" in Afghanistan and communicating with all parties in the country, the UN representatives and other foreign missions.

"Indonesia is hoping that political settlement can be achieved through Afghan-owned and Afghan-led initiatives," the statement says.

"Preparations for the evacuation are being made by communicating with all parties concerned on the ground. Indonesian Embassy's Mission in Kabul will be conducted by a limited, essential team while we monitor security situation in Afghanistan."

The ministry also said the safety of Indonesian citizens including embassy personnel in Afghanistan becomes priority in their current policy amid dramatic events that unfold there.

Indonesia has previously offered help to broker peace in Afghanistan with the visit by former vice president Jusuf Kalla in December last year.

Although his trip was at the invitation by the Afghan government, who seeks his advice about peacemaking efforts involving the warring camps, it was made with the consent of Jakarta, Indonesian Ambassador to Afghanistan Arief Rachmand said at that time.

A spokesman for Kalla said the former vice president has been actively encouraging peace talks in Afghanistan since he was in office. President Joko Widodo also visited the country in January 2018 for talks with his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-reduces-diplomatic-mission-in-afghanistan-to-essential-tea

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