REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) has called on all parliaments of Asian and African countries to settle what it terms "historical debt" by liberating the Palestinian people.

"We, the states and peoples of Asia and Africa, will settle the historical debt by liberating Palestine through new Asian-African strategic partnership," DPR Chairman Setya Novanto said while addressing the Asian-African Parliamentary Conference at the Parliament Building here on Thursday.

Novanto said the new Asian-African partnership strategy must always be strengthened in such a way that it will allow the Asian and African nations to make forward steps in accordance with their concrete wish.

He expressed hope that participants of the conference would commit themselves to build new togetherness as part of efforts to implement sustainable development particularly to address the issues of poverty, poor health, environment conversion and Palestinian independence.

"The issue of environmental degradation and climate change should become the topic of discussion not only at expert meetings but also at special meetings of leaders of states in the two continents," he said.

President Joko Widodo officially opened the conference which brought together representatives of friendly countries, parliamentary leaders of Asian and African countries, ambassadors of friendly countries, diplomats and other state guests.

The conference is a part of a series of events held to mark the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference.

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