Susilo talks up Aceh peace process in Big Apple<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, New York<\/p>\n
The Aceh peace agreement is likely to be judged the biggest
\nachievement of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's
\nadministration so far, and Susilo is making the most of this
\npositive when he meets with other world leaders in New York this
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Susilo's landslide victory in last year's direct presidential
\nelection and the country's status as the world's most-populous
\nmajority Muslim nation and the third-largest democracy after
\nIndia and the U.S. should also provide major working capital for
\nhim during his six-day stay.<\/p>\n
The President is using his engagements surrounding the United
\nNations World Summit to win international support for a lasting
\npeace in the war and tsunami-devastated province.<\/p>\n
Aceh is expected to be an important topic when Susilo meets
\nbilaterally with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, European
\nUnion Secretary-General Javier Solana and U.S, Secretary of State
\nCondoleezza Rice.<\/p>\n
Susilo also mentioned the problems that still face Aceh in his
\nspeech at New York's Columbia University on Tuesday (Wednesday,
\nJakarta time) and earlier at Webster University in St. Louis,
\nMissouri where he received an honorary doctorate on Monday.<\/p>\n
At Columbia, Susilo spoke at length about Aceh, detailing the
\nroots of the secessionist movement there. Using the issue to
\nfocus on the importance of Indonesia reaching its United Nations'
\nMillennium Development Goals, Susilo cited the lack of
\ndevelopment, poverty and injustice as the main causes of the
\nrebellion, which began in the mid-1970s.<\/p>\n
Divine intervention, through the tsunami, had prompted both
\nthe warring parties to realize that the reconstruction of Aceh
\nrequired peace, the President noted.<\/p>\n
\"The challenge now is to make that peace endure so that it
\nwill become the environment of a battle in which former
\nadversaries will be fighting on the same side: the battle against
\npoverty,\" Susilo said in his lecture, which was moderated by
\nProf. Jeffrey Sachs and attended by about 300 students.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said the President
\nhoped his upcoming meetings would help solve Indonesia's domestic
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
\"The President's meetings with PM Blair and the EU Secretary-
\nGeneral are aimed at securing peace in Aceh because the EU is
\nalso a member of the AMM (Aceh Monitoring Mission),\" Andi said.<\/p>\n
The EU is deploying 150 foreign monitors, who make up the bulk
\nof the 250-strong AMM. They will observe the implementation of
\nthe peace agreement in Aceh for up to one year.<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday, the President attended the UN-ASEAN summit at
\nthe UN Headquarters and an informal meeting on interfaith dialog
\nand cooperation, which was chaired by the Philippine President
\nGloria Macapagal Arroyo.<\/p>\n
In the evening, Susilo attended a reception hosted by U.S.
\nPresident George W. Bush.<\/p>\n
While preoccupied by a more pressing economic agenda at home,
\nlike his predecessors, notably Soeharto and Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, Susilo brought a large number of protocol,
\nsecurity and support staff with him to America.<\/p>\n
Although New York is enjoying a balmy Indian summer, all
\ndelegation members and journalists are required to wear official
\ndress, with some African delegates proudly sporting Indonesian-
\nmade batik, following the trend former South African president
\nNelson Mandela set.<\/p>\n
The President will leave the U.S. on Saturday and is expected
\nto arrive home on Monday. He earlier canceled a trip to the
\nMiddle East, which would have taken him to Saudi Arabia and
\nPalestine.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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