I'm fit to travel to Brunei: Gus Dur<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid said on Saturday he
\nwas fit enough to travel and would go ahead with plans to visit
\nBrunei on Sunday and East Timor on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The President was instructed to rest on Thursday after
\ncatching a fever, later diagnosed as influenza.<\/p>\n
But Abdurrahman, described by friends as a workaholic, will
\ndepart to Brunei on Sunday morning for a one-day working visit to
\nmeet Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.<\/p>\n
Except for Brunei, Abdurrahman has visited all the other eight
\nfellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.<\/p>\n
In his visit to East Timor, Abdurrahman intends to meet Jose
\nAlexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao, Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento,
\nand the head the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor
\n(UNTAET) Sergio Vieira de Mello.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman did not mention the name of Dili Bishop Carlos
\nFelipe Ximenes Belo once during his briefing with journalists.<\/p>\n
The President said the topics of discussion would include the
\nkind of assistance Indonesia can extend to help East Timor
\nestablish its own state.<\/p>\n
The visit will be a landmark as it is the highest level visit
\nsince East Timor rejected Indonesia's wide-ranging autonomy offer
\nin the Aug. 30 ballot.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also said he wanted to discuss with Xanana and de
\nMello ways to improve cooperation at the border between East
\nTimor and East Nusa Tenggara to ease the mobility of people
\ncrossing it.<\/p>\n
While in Dili, Abdurrahman is scheduled to open an Indonesian
\ninterest section office.<\/p>\n
\"Because, according to de Mello, the East Timorese would like
\nto buy food and trade with their Indonesian counterparts. I want
\nto facilitate this,\" the President remarked.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also confirmed he had decided to delay a scheduled
\nvisit to Australia next month because his agenda was already too
\nfull.<\/p>\n
A visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the coming days has also
\nbeen canceled.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said the neighboring country was in domestic
\nturmoil and therefore would not be in a position to welcome a
\nforeign dignitary.<\/p>\n
\"This is their statement. We just believe what they said,\"
\nAbdurrahman remarked.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, AFP reported on Saturday that Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad would make a two-day bilateral visit to
\nIndonesia on March 9.<\/p>\n
\"This visit is going to be a full complement visit, consisting
\nof various people from ministries as well as the private sector,\"
\nMalaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying
\nin Kuala Lumpur. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/im-fit-to-travel-to-brunei-gus-dur-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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