The plan was presented by the country’s Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto at the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.
The first point of the Indonesian plan was a call for an immediate ceasefire by both sides. “The second is for each side to withdraw 15 kilometres from their current positions to create a new demilitarised zone,” Subianto said.
The Indonesian Defence Minister also advocated the creation and deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in the area and stated Indonesia’s readiness to participate in such a mission. “I call on Russia and Ukraine for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Indonesia is ready to provide units for a potential UN peacekeeping operation,” Subianto said.
Furthermore, he believes that the UN should organise a referendum “to objectively ascertain the wishes of the majority of residents of the various disputed areas”.
Subianto said the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in the past had focused on the Indo-Pacific region, but noted that the security situation there was influenced by the security situation in Europe. What is happening in Ukraine, he said, is affecting people all over the world because of rising energy and food prices.
