A-A Summit to facilitate scores of bilateral meetings

A-A Summit to facilitate scores of bilateral meetings

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

When leaders of the Asian and African countries assemble later
this month in Jakarta to attend the Asian-African Summit,
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be the most
sought-after leader, hosting scores of bilateral meetings with
the heads of state/government on the sidelines of the summit.

The summit will also be a rare opportunity for meetings
between friends as well as foes. A meeting between Chinese
President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
will draw media attention given the present tensions between the
two countries.

Likewise, South Asian protagonists Indian Prime Minister and
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Others sure to attract
media attention will be Myanmar's Senior Gen. Than Shwe,
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, and North Korea's President
of the Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly Kim Young-nam.

Director for African affairs at the foreign ministry, Bali
Moniaga, said that the summit organizing committee had arranged
20 booths at the Jakarta Convention Center, where the summit will
be held, for the conduct of bilateral talks.

"This is one of the important contributions of the summit.
There will be series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Many
leaders have asked us to facilitate their meetings," he said.

President Susilo is also scheduled to hold marathon bilateral
talks with his counterparts from the two continents.

As of Friday, according to Bali, several heads of
state/government from the two continents had submitted letters
asking for bilateral talks with Susilo.

"We have so far received requests from about 30 leaders of the
two continents for bilateral talks with President Susilo," Bali
said without elaborating.

He said that decisions regarding bilateral talks would be made
by the president's office.

Eighty-three countries and UN bodies, and six international
organizations have confirmed their attendance at the two-day
summit, which is scheduled to commence on April 22.

Of the 83 countries, 52 will be represented by heads of
state/government, three by vice presidents and 26 countries by
special envoy or ministers. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will
also attend the summit.

In addition, the government has also invited leaders from non-
Asian-African countries, namely the United States, Britain,
France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand as observers at the
summit.

The summit -- a commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference in
1955 in Bandung, West Java -- was initiated by Indonesia and
South Africa.

The South African President Thabo Mbeki is slated to arrive in
Jakarta on a state visit on April 19.

"We plan to sign a number of agreements during his visit
(Mbeki) to Jakarta," he said.

Minister of Hassan Wirayuda reiterated that Indonesia has a
big interest in African countries, especially in economic and
trade sectors.

"Besides, it has 53 votes at the United Nations. Africa --
home to 800 million people -- is also a potential market for
Indonesia," Hassan said in a speech read by secretary general
Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat on Thursday.

He said that Indonesia's exports to African countries reached
$1.2 billion in 2003, far lower than the other Asian countries of
China, Malaysia and Thailand.

"Indonesia needs to energetically explore these new markets
(in African countries)," he said.

He said that Indonesia had established diplomatic ties with 40
African countries and opened representative offices in 16
nations.

Not only Indonesia, but a number of other Asian countries have
long enjoyed good partnerships with the African continent.

China established the so-called China-African Cooperation
Conference Forum, Japan the Tokyo International Conference on
African Development (TICAD), while India set up a India-New
Partnership for African Development Fund.

Data from the ministry showed that China is currently
investing in 600 companies in the fields of industry, trade and
agricultural in 49 countries in Africa.

India itself has some 43 investment projects in Egypt, while
Asian countries such as South Korea and Malaysia are currently
boosting their investment in Africa.