Bush makes stopover in Bali, lends support to Megawati

Bush makes stopover in Bali, lends support to Megawati

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post,
Kuta, Bali

Against the advice of his own security people, U.S. President
George Walker Bush made a lightning stopover in Kuta, Bali on
Wednesday, lending much-needed support to President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's campaign against terrorism.

The visit, the fifth leg of his six-nation Asia-Pacific tour,
came just over one year after two powerful bomb explosions,
blamed on the regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI),
ripped through Kuta, killing over 200 people.

Security was extremely tight in and around the Ngurah Rai
airport and Patra Bali Hotel, where President Bush held bilateral
talks with his Indonesian counterpart President Megawati and a
dialog with five religious leaders.

Thousands of security officers, including the U.S. Secret
Service and Marines, along with four warships and four U.S.-made
F-16 warplanes were on high alert throughout the visit.

In a joint press conference with President Megawati, Bush
praised Indonesia for its role in the global campaign against
terrorism.

"America appreciates Indonesia's strong cooperation in the war
on terror," said Bush, adding that the U.S. believed that freedom
and democracy were critical in defeating terrorism.

Authorities have arrested and put on trial over 30 suspected
JI members for their role in the deadly Bali bombings last Oct.
12, 2002. Three of them are now on death row.

Dozens of suspects have also been detained for their role in
the JW Marriot Hotel terrorist attack that killed at least 14
people last Aug. 5.

Earlier, Indonesia enacted a law on terrorism that promotes
the death sentence for convicted terrorists.

Calling on Indonesia as a vital partner and a friend to
America, Bush said that the two countries stand together against
terrorism.

He also stressed that cooperation between the two countries
has grown stronger over the years.

"The partnership between our two peoples is strong and growing
stronger... Indonesia will have a firm ally in the American
government and you will have the friendship and the respect of
the American people," Bush said.

Megawati, on her side, said that she attached great importance
to bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United States
for both were the largest democratic countries in the world and
great potential lay in their cooperation.

She also said that the U.S. supported the democratization
process here and the country's territorial integrity.

President Megawati said that in the 30-minutes meeting with
Bush and the luncheon with Indonesian cabinet ministers, various
bilateral issues were discussed, such as military to military
cooperation, economic issues and education.

"Despite the fact that we do not always share a common
perspective, we both continue to hold a mutual understanding,
that it is in the interests of the two countries to maintain
consultations and cooperation in the pursuit of global peace,"
Megawati said.

The stopover was made possible after Bush himself insisted
that he wanted to visit Indonesia as part of his Asia Pacific
tour. The tour also brought him to Japan, the Philippines,
Thailand, Singapore, and Australia.

Due to security reasons, the visit was the shortest among the
visits to the six countries. Excessive security measures,
including a four-hour no-fly zone at the Ngurah Rai airport were
applied during the stopover.

Since morning all streets around the airport and the Patra
hotel were closed to the public, causing traffic congestion
around the usually quiet area.

Many passengers had to drag their luggage all the way to the
Ngurah Rai conjunction, which is around three kilometers away
from the venue as no public or private transportation was allowed
to pass.

A few kilometers away from the venue, dozens of people from
various organizations, such as Indonesia's Muslim Students
Association (HMI), Muhammadiyah Student's Group (IMM) and
People's Opposition Party (POPOR) staged a rally against the
visit.

Carrying banners denouncing Bush's foreign policies, the
protesters demanded that Bush stay away from Indonesia. The rally
ended peacefully as soon as Bush continued with his journey to
Australia, the last leg of his Asia Pacific tour.