President go ahead with U.S., Japan visit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri will go ahead
\nwith her trip to New York and Washington as scheduled, Minister
\nof Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media conference after a Cabinet meeting on
\nFriday, Hassan said the Indonesian government appreciated the
\nU.S. government's invitation and considered it a \"positive sign\"
\nof continuing support for the government.<\/p>\n
Hassan said Megawati would also address the United Nations
\nGeneral Assembly session on Sept. 24.<\/p>\n
\"The President truly appreciates the invitation extended to
\nIndonesia even though the U.S. is still in mourning. The
\ngovernment of Indonesia deems it an honor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Megawati is scheduled to leave for Washington on Sept. 17 and
\nto hold a meeting with President George W. Bush on Sept. 19. She
\nwill fly to Tokyo after addressing the UN General Assembly to
\nmeet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.<\/p>\n
The president of the largest Muslim country in the world will
\nbe among the first foreign leaders to visit the U.S. after the
\nshocking attacks in New York and Washington on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Hassan said the visit had been planned long before the
\nattacks.<\/p>\n
The U.S. had always been one of the most important friends for
\nIndonesia, he said.<\/p>\n
Besides meeting President Bush, Megawati is scheduled to hold
\ntalks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and open the
\nIndoenergy conference on Sept. 23 in Houston, before attending
\nthe UN General Assembly in New York.<\/p>\n
Hassan also said that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
\nKoizumi had postponed his visit to Southeast Asia that includes
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We have received notification of the delay, so I underline
\nthat it was not a cancellation but a delay, because of special
\ncircumstances,\" Hassan said.<\/p>\n
The terrorist attacks have disturbed scheduled trips of world
\nleaders including those attending the General Assembly's annual
\nmeeting in which at least 50-world leaders were to speak.<\/p>\n
President Kim Dae-jung of South Korea canceled his trip on
\nThursday, as reported by AP.<\/p>\n
The General Assembly has already postponed next week's
\nchildren's summit, which would have brought 75 presidents and
\nprime ministers to New York. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-go-ahead-with-us-japan-visit-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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