ISLAMIC FIGURES APPRECIATE US' WILL TO REACH OUT MOSLEMS

Jakarta, Feb 18 (ANTARA) - Several Moslem figures expressed their appreciation to the will of the new US government to reach out the world Islamic community.
"Let us just appreciate the goodwill of the Obama administration to reach out the Islamic world in a new way. This must be appreciated although it certainly will not be an easy job," former rector of state Islamic Syarif Hidayatullah University, Azyumardi Azra, said here on Wednesday in response to the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here.
He said President Barack Obama' inaugural speech had already shown signals that the US government wished to improve its relations with the Islamic world.
He said the appointment of special envoy for Palestine and Israel as well as Hillary's visit to Indonesia as the world's biggest Moslem country were concrete moves of the Obama administration for realizing the will.
"Although there are also economic, political, welfare and other agenda (in her visit) the visit is a visit to the biggest Moslem country. This shows US need for Indonesia because of its position as the world's biggest democratic Islamic country that also has good relations with Arab countries, the West and other countries in conflict," he said.
An executive board member of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Amidhan, also hailed the visit of the US secretary of state and that country's will to improve its relations with the Islamic world.
Like Asyumardi, Amidhan however said that the will seemed to be not easy to be implemented because the relations between the US and the Islamic world had already been damaged too much during former president George W Bush administration.
He however hoped in the future the US government would prove its change of attitude and view towards Islam by not applying a double standard in settling conflicts with Islamic countries.
The US, he said, should also realize its commitment to build better relations with the Islamic world by applying a just policy in the settlement of the conflict in the Middle East.
"We welcome the goodwiil but with a note that it must be proven. We are waiting for it," he said.
He also hoped Hillary's meeting with the Islamic figures in Indonesia would become a way for improving the relations. "It is hoped the Islamic figures that will attend it could convey the aspirations of Moslems in the country to her and hopefully it could also affect US views on Islam," he said.