President Megawati leaves for eight-day ASEAN trip<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri is leaving home
\non Tuesday for her first official visit to the nine member
\ncountries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
\nto start strengthening ties with them.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said, after meeting the
\nPresident on Monday, that by making her first foreign overseas
\ntrip to ASEAN countries it showed Indonesia's commitment to the
\ngrouping.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN will remain the cornerstone of our foreign policy,\"
\nHassan said.<\/p>\n
During the eight-day whirlwind trip, the President will make
\nstate visits to the Philippines and Malaysia and working visits
\nto another seven countries.<\/p>\n
The first stop will be the Philippines, to meet President
\nGloria Macapagal Arroyo.<\/p>\n
Megawati will then travel to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar,
\nThailand, Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia before returning home on
\nAug. 28.<\/p>\n
Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and senior minister
\nLee Kuan Yew, as well as Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
\nMohamad, are among the leaders who will have bilateral talks with
\nMegawati.<\/p>\n
In Cambodia, King Norodom Sihanouk is scheduled to welcome
\nMegawati and her entourage at the airport.<\/p>\n
Megawati's entourage will include Hassan, State
\nSecretary\/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo, several House of
\nRepresentatives members, her husband Taufik Kiemas and daughter
\nPuan Maharani.<\/p>\n
After visiting ASEAN, Megawati will again embark on another
\nforeign trip to, among other countries, the United States on
\nSept. 19, at the invitation of the U.S. President George W. Bush.<\/p>\n
In the U.S., Megawati is also scheduled to address the plenary
\nsession of the United Nations General Assembly.<\/p>\n
On her way home from Washington, Megawati will visit Japan,
\nbut a date has not yet been fixed.<\/p>\n
\"What is clear is that, at the end of September, on her return
\nfrom the United States, she will visit Japan, among other
\nplaces,\" he said. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-megawati-leaves-for-eight-day-asean-trip-1447893297",
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