Bush, Clinton to visit tsunami-hit areas

Apriadi Gunawan The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton, and George Bush -- the current president's father -- are scheduled to arrive in the country on Sunday, Feb. 20 as part of their tour of tsunami-hit countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

In their planned visit, which was disclosed by deputy press attache of the U.S. embassy Timothy Gerhardson to The Jakarta Post in Medan on Wednesday, the two former presidents will see for themselves the scale of the damage caused by the tsunamis, which hit Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra on Dec. 26 last year, as well as 10 other countries in the region.

Gerhardson said the two former presidents would also observe humanitarian relief efforts and the reconstruction process in the areas.

He said the two former presidents were sent by President George W. Bush to represent U.S. civilians and companies. They are also scheduled to visit Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives between Feb. 19 and Feb. 21.

Gerhardson, accompanied by U.S. embassy official in Medan, Paul S. Berg, said the two former presidents would deliver aid during their planned trip to Aceh but "we don't know how much or in what form".

He said that efforts to raise funds from civilians and companies were still ongoing under the two former presidents' coordination.

Former president Bill Clinton was appointed as the United Nations' special envoy for tsunami relief this month, with a mandate to focus on the reconstruction of devastated areas and ensure that the international community remains engaged for the long term.

Currently, he is raising money for victims of the disaster after President George W. Bush chose him and former president George Bush, to head a non-governmental fund-raising effort in the United States.

At President George W. Bush's request, Clinton and former president George H.W. Bush are helping to encourage private- sector financial support to help tsunami-struck areas.

The embassy, however, did not provide details of the two former presidents' schedule in the country.

However, according to secretary of the relief aid coordination post in Medan, Edy Aman Saragih, the two former presidents are set to visit Aceh on Sunday, Feb. 20.

He said on Wednesday that according to a fax from the U.S. Embassy sent to the post on Tuesday, the two former presidents would be greeted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and selected ministers at Polonia Airport in Medan upon their arrival.

After an hour break, the group is scheduled to depart with the President to Banda Aceh.

Edy said that according to the faxed schedule, the former U.S. presidents would be in Banda Aceh for three hours before continuing their trip to Sri Lanka.