Howard cancels RI visit<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuter): Australian Prime Minister John Howard said
\nyesterday he had cancelled official visits to Indonesia and Japan
\nplanned for August because his wife had to undergo a major
\noperation.<\/p>\n
\"My wife Janette will be admitted to a Sydney hospital early
\nthis week for a major operation,\" Howard said in a statement.
\n\"Naturally I wish to spend as much time as possible with her,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I will, therefore, not be able to proceed with my planned
\nvisit to Japan and Indonesia which was to have commenced on the
\n7th of August,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Howard said he telephoned Indonesian President Soeharto on
\nSaturday to advise him of the cancellation but was unable to
\ncontact Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and instead
\nsent him a personal message.<\/p>\n
He said arrangements are already being made to find
\nalternative dates for him to visit both countries. \"I hope that
\nsuch visits can take place in the very near future.\"<\/p>\n
The statement did not say what kind of operation Mrs Howard
\nwould undergo and a spokesman for Howard said his office would be
\nmaking no further comment.<\/p>\n
The Howards have been married for 25 years and have two sons
\nand one daughter.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/howard-cancels-ri-visit-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}