Susilo to speak at CNN global forum<\/p>\n
Reiner Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Tokyo<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is slated to deliver a keynote
\nspeech at a prestigious CNN global forum via a video linkup in
\nTokyo on Wednesday evening as the country's first democratically
\nelected president faces an uphill battle to convince foreign
\ninvestors to come to Indonesia in the wake of the recent bloody
\nbomb blasts at home.<\/p>\n
The CNN forum, to be held in Atlanta to commemorate the
\nanniversary of the founding of the broadcasting network, will be
\nopened by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.<\/p>\n
Susilo is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at 9:40 p.m.
\nTokyo time via a live video link from the Asahi TV studios. The
\ncontent of Susilo's speech remains confidential, but in his
\nspeeches delivered on various occasions in Washington during a
\nworking visit last week, including one at a forum attended by
\nU.S. President George W. Bush, Susilo thanked the global
\ncommunity for the massive tsunami relief aid given to the country
\nand briefed investors about the key reform programs being
\nundertaken by his government.<\/p>\n
Susilo is on a four-day working visit to Japan, which is aimed
\nat, among other things, further boosting economic ties between
\nthe two countries and attracting more Japanese investment. Aside
\nfrom meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and other top
\nJapanese government officials, as well as Emperor Akihito, the
\npresident will also meet with Japanese business leaders and
\nofficials from influential trade and industry associations.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday morning, Susilo is slated to hold separate
\nmeetings with the president of the Japan External Trade
\nOrganization (JETRO), Osamu Watanabe, the governor of the Japan
\nBank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the president of
\nthe Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Sadako Ogata.<\/p>\n
The next day, the President will have breakfast with
\nrepresentatives of the influential chamber of commerce, the
\nKeidanren, to be followed by a one-on-one meeting with a number
\nof top officials of leading Japanese companies, including
\nMitsubishi Corp., Sumitomo Corp., Mitsui & Co., Seiko Epson,
\nTeijin Ltd., and Matsushita.<\/p>\n
Attracting more foreign investment to the country has been one
\nof the current administration's main programs as investment is
\ndeemed crucial to helping boost economic growth and creating more
\njobs for the country's some 40 million unemployed.<\/p>\n
During his visit to Washington, Susilo told U.S. investors
\nthat his government was committed to improving the investment
\nclimate at home through various reform measures, such as
\ncombating corruption, cutting down on excessive red tape,
\npromoting legal certainty, and ensuring a stable macroeconomic
\nenvironment. He also said that Indonesia was now moving toward
\nfully fledged democracy.<\/p>\n
But analysts have said that the recent bomb blast near Poso,
\nCentral Sulawesi, which killed 21 people and injured dozens of
\nothers would make it harder for Susilo to market the country as a
\nsafe investment destination. The fact that the incident took
\nplace in Poso, which was the scene of prolonged communal clashes
\nbetween Christians and Muslims, raises fresh questions about the
\nability of the security forces to prevent and combat
\ntransnational crimes.<\/p>\n
"It will be a tough marketing job for the President," admitted
\none of Susilo's aides.<\/p>\n
During Susilo's visit, the two governments are expected to
\nsign an agreement to start free trade talks as proposed by a
\njoint study group in April.<\/p>\n
Japan already has free trade agreements with Singapore and
\nMexico, and has started talks with a number of other countries,
\nincluding Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, all of which
\nare seen as efforts by the Japanese to counter the growing
\ninfluence of China in the region's economy.<\/p>\n
Japan is one of Indonesia's main export markets, and its
\nlargest source of cheap foreign loans and foreign investment.<\/p>",
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