JAKARTA (AA) - July 31, 2012 - Indonesian Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Nasaruddin Omar said on Tuesday that Turkey, starting with the Ottoman government, had a great impact on Indonesia.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Dr. Omar said that they had the biggest Muslim population in the world.
"Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are strong Muslim countries represented in the G-20. Such a reality give us the chance to speak," Dr. Omar noted.
Touching on the acts of violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Arakan (Rakhine) state, Dr. Omar said that they were against tyranny and injustice.
"As a government and people, we are working on the issue of Rohingya Muslims and giving reactions," Dr. Omar indicated.
In regard to Turkish-Indonesian relations in the educational field and religious issues, Dr. Omar said that "many individuals who have studied in Turkey assume serious positions in Indonesia. In this context, Turkey is a model for us".
On cultural relations, Dr. Omar said that the new destination for Indonesians in hajj and umrah programs was Istanbul.
Many Indonesians have changed their minds about going to the countries where the Arab Spring took place after incidents of violence and they now prefer to visit Turkey's Istanbul province, Dr. Omar also said.
Reporting by Ali Ihsan Cam / A. Erkan Yigitsozlu
