New York, September 24 (AseanAll)  — On September 23,2024,Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin signed the MoU on the Establishment of the RI-Ireland Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York. 

The agreement aims to strengthen the political mechanism between the two countries in discussing bilateral cooperation and international issues of mutual interest.   

The signing was followed by a bilateral meeting between the two Ministers, which discussed a number of bilateral and global issues, including the Palestinian issue. "Indonesia appreciates Ireland's support and recognition of Palestine, and will continue to encourage other countries to also recognise Palestine and fight for the rights of the Palestinian people," Retno said.  

In line with Retno, the Irish Foreign Minister emphasised that the Palestinian people have the right to live in peace. In this regard, the Irish Foreign Minister also emphasised the importance of the "humanitarian spirit", and the rejection of the application of double standards against Palestine. 

During the meeting, the two Ministers also agreed to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries, which continues to show an increasing trend.  

Entering the 40th anniversary of RI-Ireland diplomatic relations (established since 1984), the Indonesian Foreign Minister also hoped that the momentum of the celebration could be optimised to further strengthen relations between the peoples of the two countries.  

On 28 May 2024, Ireland along with Norway and Spain recognised the state of Palestine. This step was followed by Slovenia as the latest European country to recognise Palestine on 4 June 2024.