Annan, Mega to discuss global issues
Annan, Mega to discuss global issues
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will meet
President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday to discuss global
issues before heading to East Timor for the independence
celebration in the capital of Dili, said Minister of Foreign
Affairs Hassan Wirayuda on Thursday.
The Indonesian government hailed Annan's visit, but Hassan
stopped short of saying that President Megawati and the UN
secretary-general would specifically discuss the East Timor
issue.
"The meeting will be an exchange of views on the development
of global issues. We appreciate his stopover in Jakarta before
departing to Dili," Hassan told reporters before attending the
Cabinet meeting chaired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Indonesia, however, would ask for an explanation from Annan
regarding the UN secretary general's decision to abort sending a
fact-finding team to probe human rights abuses committed by
Israel in Palestine.
"Kofi Annan canceled the fact-finding team. We will bring up
this matter as we (Indonesia) are in agreement with the UN
Security Council's resolution to send a fact-finding team,"
Hassan told reporters.
In the meeting with the UN secretary-general, Indonesia will
reiterate its stance on the Middle East conflict of assisting
Palestine politically and economically, he said.
He added that Indonesia would also discuss ways of assisting
Palestine economically as discussed earlier with other countries
during his recent trip to the Middle East, to help ease poverty
in the area.
The fact-finding team, which was named by Annan to probe human
rights abuses at the Jenin camp in Palestine, was canceled after
Israel objected to its composition and refused to allow the team
to enter the camp grounds if their concerns were not addressed.
Annan will arrive in Jakarta on Friday and is scheduled to
have lunch with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the State
Palace after which he will hold talks with Megawati and several
Cabinet ministers to be followed by the issuing of a joint
statement.
On Saturday, he will meet Hassan before departing to Dili.
Hassan also denied speculation on Thursday that Annan would
ask about Indonesia's efforts in unearthing cases of human rights
abuses.