President departs for Turkey to attend OIC Summit

President Joko Widodo, accompanied by First Lady Iriana, departed for Istanbul, Turkey, to attend the Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The summit is being held to discuss US President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel`s capital city.

"Today, I along with my entourage are leaving for Istanbul, Turkey, to attend the Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Palestine," President Widodo remarked during a press briefing at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Airforce Base in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Widodo expressed belief that the OIC Extraordinary Summit, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, holds significance, as it is the first opportunity for the OIC member countries to convene and firmly decline Trump`s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel`s capital city.

"Using this opportunity, I will voice the disagreement of Indonesians towards the US` one-sided decision and urge all OIC member countries to unify voices and forces in Palestine`s defense," he stated in the company of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Chief of the Military Force Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, Army Chief of Staff General Mulyono, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Ade Supandi, Chief of the Indonesian Police Force General Tito Karnavian, and Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno.

The president further revealed that during the summit, he will highlight several measures that can be applied collectively or individually by OIC`s member countries in order to defend Palestine.

"I hope this visit would offer tangible benefits that would contribute to the efforts to achieving world peace, especially in settling the dispute between Palestine and Israel," he stated.

Widodo remarked that he and his entourage will return to Jakarta on Thursday.

The president and first lady departed for Istanbul, Turkey, aboard the Presidential aircraft Indonesia-1 from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airforce Base at 11 a.m. local time.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla and spouse Mufidah along with Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan saw off the president