Former heads of state to meet here

Former heads of state to meet here

JAKARTA: Former Indonesian president B.J. Habibie will meet
with former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser here next
week and former Dutch prime minister Andreas van Agt to discuss a
possible clash of civilizations as an outcome of the war on
terrorism.

A press release from the Habibie Center said on Friday the
three-day meeting starting on March 11 would discuss whether the
U.S.-led global war on terrorism could lead to a clash of
civilizations.

The discussion will also feature secretary-general of the
International Islamic Council Kamel al-Sharief, head of the
Buddhist Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement A.T. Ariyatne, and
secretary-general of the World Council of Churches Konrad Raiser.

Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) secretary-general Din
Syamsuddin, Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) leader Natan
Setiabudi and head of the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI)
Julius Darmaatmadja are also scheduled to attend.

The meeting, hosted by the Forum Interaction Council, aims to
bring together world leaders to discuss positive efforts to
bridge the differences among different religions, the Habibie
Center said.

Habibie, who was handpicked as president in 1998 after the
downfall former strongman Soeharto, has been living in Germany
after lawmakers opposed his reelection in 1999. --Antara