Canadian Embassy discussion RI polls

JAKARTA: The Canadian Embassy organized a roundtable discussion on Post-Election Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday.

"It's a tremendous success for Indonesia's young democracy. The first-ever direct presidential election was held peacefully," Canadian Ambassador Randolph Mank, who has been assigned in Jakarta since last year, said in his opening remarks.

Canada, which maintains cordial relations with Indonesia, contributed 5 million Canadian dollars through the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the success of the Sept. 20 presidential election.

The discussion -- attended by 15 scholars, analysts, officials, election experts and observers, elected legislators and journalists -- focused mainly on the 2004 elections, the shape of the new government and its agenda and Indonesia's foreign policy under the new government. -- JP