Bush to show support for Megawati on war against terror

Bush to show support for Megawati on war against terror

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang/Surabaya

Extraordinary security will mark the brief visit of United States
President George W. Bush to the resort island of Bali on
Wednesday for talks with Indonesian President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Regional security issues such as terrorism, post-war Iraq and
Palestinian issues will dominate the discussion of the two
leaders.

Indonesian officials said the topics might also include last
year's ambush in the Papuan district of Timika, which killed two
Americans.

President Bush is scheduled to arrive in Bali on Wednesday
morning and immediately hold bilateral talks with Megawati in a
hotel near the Ngurah Rai International Airport.

After the meeting, the two Presidents will have lunch together
before Bush holds a separate dialog with three Indonesian Muslim
leaders.

Bush is expected to talk to the Muslim leaders about the U.S.-
led war against terrorism, which has sparked criticism even among
Muslim leaders known for their moderate stance,

Those leaders had condemned the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist
attack on the U.S. and shown full support for the antiterrorism
drive.

Bush will visit Indonesia for no less than three hours, before
flying on to Australia.

The New York Times reported security concerns as the main
factor that would limit Bush's visit here, as the predominately
Muslim country was initially scrapped from the U.S. President's
itinerary.

The newspaper quoted an official at the White House as saying
that it was all part of the "trip to al-Qaeda hell" reflecting
the perception that Indonesia was a terrorist hotbed.

It said it was upon Bush's personal insistence that the U.S.
secret service allowed him to make the stop-over in Bali, which
was rocked by a huge blast last year that claimed 202 lives.

"We need to show her (Megawati) support. We're just going to
show her that support very quickly," one of Bush's aides was
quoted by the Times as saying in its Oct. 15 edition.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Monday that the two governments
had settled all security arrangement for the visit.

"All security arrangements have been decided on and the
discussion will focus on the bilateral relations, not merely on
terrorism," Susilo said.

The Indonesian security authorities have prepared thousands of
personnel, four warships and four U.S.-made F-16 warplanes, that
have been on standby since Sunday for the visit.

Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh said the
warships would provide radar cover around the waters off Bali
island at all times.

"They will stay in the waters around Benoa Port to alert all
passing ships and to provide security during the visit," Sondakh
said.

There have been reports that two U.S. warships, along with
thousands of soldiers and helicopters, will also be on alert
around Bali's waters.

However, voices of skepticism continued to be heard as to the
importance of the visit.

Former president Abdurrahman Wahid alleged on Monday that Bush
had a hidden agenda which may have nothing to do with the U.S.
support for Megawati's antiterrorism drive.

"We should take a look at the meaning of the visit carefully.
The U.S. has always distrusted Muslims, especially in the Iraq
case," Gus Dur, as he is better known, said in Semarang.