Bush invites Megawati to Washington D.C.
Bush invites Megawati to Washington D.C.
JAKARTA (JP): United States President George W. Bush has
invited President Megawati Soekarnoputri to Washington next month
for talks on how the U.S. could help the new Indonesian
government, a senior U.S. official said here on Saturday.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick said that
Megawati graciously accepted the invitation.
"The visit would be the only meeting Bush will have at the
time of the United Nations' General Assembly meeting.
"(The meeting) will give the two of them a chance to talk face
to face about the agenda that I hope we have launched today," he
said in a media conference here.
According to sources, Megawati's visit to the U.S. will be
part of her first state overseas tour in which she plans to visit
Tokyo and Washington, and attend the United Nations' General
Assembly meeting in New York.
Zoellick said that Bush commended Megawati for her handling of
the transition from president Abdurrahman Wahid and the selection
of a "first-rate" Cabinet.
Zoellick, the most senior foreign official to visit Jakarta
since Megawati took office, said that Bush had also asked him to
listen to the suggestions of Megawati's new team about how the
U.S. could be of support.
Earlier in the day, he held meetings with Megawati and some of
her new Cabinet members, including Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister
of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda and Minister of Industry and
Trade Rini MS Soewandi.
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-
Jakti and Minister of Finance Boediono were scheduled to meet
Zoellick for dinner later in the day.
He reasserted the International Monetary Fund's (IMF)
commitment to working with Megawati and her team to push for the
agreement on a letter of intent (LoI).
"So that the disbursement (of the IMF loan) can flow, so that
the Paris Club negotiations in restructuring sovereign debts can
proceed as planned on Sept. 10 and 11," Zoellick said.
An agreement by the official Paris Club in April last year to
reschedule $5.8 billion of Indonesia's debt is contingent on an
active IMF program.
Zoellick indicated the possibility of restoring some "basic
military-to-military contacts" between Indonesia and the U.S.
which, he said, would focus on critical areas of reform and the
"professionalization" of the Indonesian Military.
The U.S severed most of its military ties with Indonesia after
Indonesian troops were accused of implication in the rampage that
followed East Timor's vote for independence from Jakarta in
August 1999.
Zoellick said that his visit to Indonesia would be followed by
other U.S. senior officials to ensure the continuity of
cooperation.
"We hope that Secretary Powell will also be looking at the
possibility of a visit to Indonesia in the near future," he said,
referring to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Separately, Bush announced in Washington on Friday (Saturday
in Indonesia) that he had chosen Ralph Leo Boyce, a senior career
diplomat, as the new U.S. ambassador to Indonesia to replace
Robert S. Gelbard.
Boyce has served as deputy assistant secretary of state for
Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands
since August 1998. His appointment was subject to the approval of
the U.S. Senate.(tnt)