PM Chavalit expected today for two-day visit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thai Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is
\nslated to begin a two-day visit to Indonesia at the invitation of
\nPresident Soeharto today, Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono
\nannounced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Besides giving a chance to get acquainted, the visit will
\nallow the two leaders to strengthen the friendly relations
\nbetween the two countries, Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
The minister said this will be Chavalit's first overseas visit
\nsince he was appointed prime minister of a coalition government
\non Dec. 1.<\/p>\n
His entourage is expected to include his wife Khunying
\nPhankrua Yongchaiyudh, foreign minister Prachuab Chaiyasan, and
\nBoonchong Veesomma, secretary-general to the prime minister's
\noffice, according to Moerdiono.<\/p>\n
Chavalit, a former army general, was defense minister in the
\nprevious coalition cabinet under prime minister Banharn Silpa-
\narcha. The New Aspiration Party, of which he is chairman,
\nwon the November election by enough of a margin, to earn him the
\nright to form a government.<\/p>\n
In spite of the election outcome, Banharn still represented
\nThailand during the meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation forum in Manila and the informal summit of
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta, both in
\nlate November.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto is scheduled to host a dinner for his guest
\nat the State Palace tonight.<\/p>\n
Talks between the two leaders are scheduled for tomorrow
\nmorning. Chavalit will fly home later in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
There is now a growing presence of Thai corporations in
\nIndonesia. Thailand's private investment in Indonesia reached
\n$2.2 billion in 26 projects, according to the Investment
\nCoordinating Board.<\/p>\n
The two countries bilateral trade is also rising
\nsignificantly. Last year Indonesia struck up a barter deal with
\nThailand, exchanging locally manufactured small planes for
\nThailand's glutinous rice.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
\nannounced Tuesday he would go ahead with a five-nation Asian tour
\nnext week despite the Lima hostage crisis, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n
The trip, starting on Jan. 7, will take Hashimoto to Brunei,
\nSingapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, at the height of the Lima hostage siege,
\nforeign ministry officials had said Hashimoto was considering
\ncanceling the trip because of the almost 14-day-long siege at the
\nJapanese ambassador's residence in Lima.<\/p>\n
\"I am going ahead with the trip,\" Hashimoto told reporters. \"I
\nplace my entire trust in Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori and
\nhave made arrangements so I can always be contacted.\"<\/p>\n
Hashimoto's decision to proceed with the tour appeared to be a
\nsign that the siege might be near an end. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pm-chavalit-expected-today-for-two-day-visit-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}