Mega embarks on another overseas trip<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With her attention focused on terrorism and other "non-
\ntraditional" security issues, President Megawati Soekarnoputri is
\nleaving for Malaysia on Thursday for a four-day overseas trip
\nthat will also bring her to Thailand.<\/p>\n
With Indonesia still reeling from a series of terrorist
\nattacks that have scared off foreign investors, Megawati is
\nscheduled to fly to Kuching, Malaysia, on Thursday morning and
\ncontinue on to Bangkok on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
She is also expected to promote Jakarta's proposal for the
\nestablishment of an Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN)
\nSecurity Community among her counterparts in both countries.<\/p>\n
"Due to various developments in the security field, we need to
\naddress these problems with our neighbors," Minister for Foreign
\nAffairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He further said that the planned deportation of 232 Acehnese
\nfrom Malaysia and Indonesian militant Abu Jibril would also be
\ndiscussed by Megawati in her talks with Malaysian Prime Minister
\nMahathir Mohammad.<\/p>\n
"During the state visit to Thailand, the President will also
\ndiscuss counterterrorism efforts and the recent arrest of prime
\nterror suspect Hambali in Thailand," Hassan said.<\/p>\n
Hambali, currently in United States' custody, is said to be
\nthe main operative of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network
\nin the Southeast Asia region.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has also been asking Thai authorities to hunt down
\nZakariah Zaman, one of the leaders of the separatist Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM), who is allegedly hiding out in that country.<\/p>\n
The Southeast Asia region has been under the spotlight for the
\npast few years with a string of terrorist attacks occurring in
\nthe Philippines and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, as the chair of ASEAN, had underlined the
\nimportance of forging stronger cooperation among member countries
\nto deal with so-called non-traditional security threats.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN Security Community proposal was launched to create a
\nframework for better cooperation among member countries in
\ndealing with these new threats.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono will also be in the presidential
\nentourage, along with Hassan.<\/p>\n
This is the third time Susilo has been included on Megawati's
\noverseas trips, with the first time being a visit to Singapore as
\npart of the ASEAN tour in August 2001, and the second to the U.S.
\nin September 2001.<\/p>\n
On economic cooperation, Megawati is slated to witness the
\nsigning of Memorandums of Understanding with the Thai government
\non trade and investment promotion respectively.<\/p>\n
Minister of Trade and Industry Rini Soewandi, Minister for
\nMaritime Affairs Rokhmin Dahuri and Investment Coordinating Board
\n(BKPM) director Theo Toemion will also be present in Bangkok for
\nthe signing ceremony.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Megawati and her almost 40-strong entourage are
\nslated to visit the tourist resort of Chiang Mai at the personal
\ninvitation of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.<\/p>\n
The President will fly back to Jakarta on Sunday, after a one-
\nnight break in Chiang Mai.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-embarks-on-another-overseas-trip-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}