Indonesia and Sri Lanka’s foreign ministers called on the European Union to be consistent in its approach to the conflict in Gaza as it has with Ukraine, as ministers from Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered for meetings in Brussels, Asia Nikkei reported.
“ASEAN and the EU should be at the front line in respecting values and principles of international law, the respect should also be applied to Palestine, to Gaza,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a forum of Indo-Pacific and European ministers.
“I do believe that the EU and all of us, as firm supporters of upholding international law, will also have a consistent position when it comes to Gaza,” she added.
Ali Sabry, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, echoed the sentiment, telling reporters, “We represent the sentiment of the Global South, that there’s double standards when it comes to the Middle East.”
“There is this ongoing debate when it comes to Palestinian people’s plight and the plight of Ukrainians. People are asking, ‘you have to be true to your heart and do the right thing by everybody because all human beings matter,’” Sabry said.
He noted younger European politicians understand that “the credibility of the Western world is at stake unless you treat all of them equally.”
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