Foreign minister contacted officials from several countries, particularly Turkey, for Kabul landing permission, says official.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) – Jakarta on Friday appreciated Turkey and the Taliban for their help in the evacuation of Indonesian nationals from Afghanistan.
The evacuation process was a most complicated humanitarian mission and would have been impossible without the help of other countries, said senior Foreign Ministry official Abdul Kadir Jailani.
“Special words of appreciation should be given to the governments of Turkey, Pakistan, the US, the Netherlands, and also NATO,” he said.
Amid high uncertainty, Indonesian officials worked tirelessly to prepare for the evacuation mission, with a particularly difficult issue being permission to land at Kabul airport, the official explained.
Jailani said Indonesia was initially granted permission but it was canceled for no apparent reason just moments before an Indonesian Air Force plane was due to land.
The plane departed from Jakarta, transited in several countries, and waited in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad before heading to Kabul, he added.
“The foreign minister [Retno Marsudi] communicated with several ministers from various countries, especially Turkey, to ensure that canceled landing permit was regained,” said Jailani, who heads the Foreign Ministry’s Asia Pacific and Africa affairs.
At the time, the Kabul airport was still controlled by foreign forces, including Turkey, he added.
He said Indonesia also sought guarantees from the Taliban for the safety of its citizens and embassy in Kabul, and the group responded positively to the request.
“So, our embassy is well guarded by the Taliban. That also happened during the evacuation process. They were helping us. The Taliban provided an escort for Indonesian citizens from the embassy to the airport,” he shared.
‘Indonesia wants peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan’
According to Jailani, Indonesia has conveyed three important points to the Taliban about the future of Afghanistan.
At a meeting with the Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha on Aug. 26, the Indonesian foreign minister said Jakarta encourages the formation of an inclusive government and respect for women’s rights in Afghanistan, he said.
Marsudi also emphasized that Afghanistan “should not become a breeding ground for terrorist groups,” the official said.
He said Indonesia is monitoring developments in Afghanistan and looks forward to cooperating with a future Taliban government.
“The Indonesian government will optimally continue to use its diplomatic machinery in several countries to gauge the stance of other countries,” Jailani added.