Bolkiah to meet Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei will arrive
\nhere this morning for a working visit and will hold bilateral
\ntalks with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace in the afternoon,
\nsources said yesterday.<\/p>\n
There were no official statements about the visit from either
\ngovernment. However, informed sources pointed out that the two
\nheads of state will focus their discussion on the recent turmoil
\nin regional currencies.<\/p>\n
\"The two leaders will likely touch on the currency crisis
\nhitting this region -- especially Indonesia -- and what Brunei
\ncan do to help Indonesia,\" a source said yesterday.<\/p>\n
There were no details as to how long the Sultan will stay
\nhere. \"He may stay here for a few days,\" said an Asian diplomat
\nwho preferred to speak on anonymity.<\/p>\n
Bolkiah, considered the world's richest man, told Malaysian
\nPrime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during bilateral talks in Kuala
\nLumpur last August, that his country would work with the other
\nmembers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to
\nresolve the currency upheaval.<\/p>\n
ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore,
\nThailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The Thai baht, the Philippine peso, the Indonesian rupiah, the
\nMalaysian ringgit and even the Singapore dollar have dropped
\nsharply against the U.S. dollar since July.<\/p>\n
Thailand and Indonesia have been forced to seek emergency
\nassistance from the international community including the
\nInternational Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n
Singapore agreed last month to extend a US$5 billion stand-by
\nloan to Indonesia. Malaysia also offered $1 billion in bilateral
\naid, while Japan pledged $5 billion. (prb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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