G-15 summit set to clash with House plenary session

JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to intensively lobby the House of Representatives to avoid a scheduling clash between the House plenary session on the memorandum process and the planned summit of the G-15 which Indonesia is set to host on May 30 and May 31.

"For the sake of the national interest, we are trying to lobby the House so that these two big events do not clash," Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Afrizal Effendy said on Wednesday.

"The matter is now being discussed by high-level officials," he added.

Indonesia has committed itself to hosting the G-15 summit which will be preceded by several days of meetings among senior officials.

But the date of the summit coincides with the deadline set in the second House censure against the President, and legislators are also expected to convene at that time to discuss their next moves.

The crucial House plenary session will decide whether they will continue with the memorandum process and hold a People's Consultative Assembly special session to appraise the president's performance.

Afrizal stressed that preparations for the G-15 summit were continuing as scheduled.

He claimed that thus far none of the members countries had indicated any reluctance or concerns about coming to Indonesia following the political developments in the country.

"All of the foreign ministers and trade ministers of the member countries have confirmed their attendance and none of them have requested any special security assurances from us," Afrizal remarked.

He further said that so far eleven heads of state had confirmed their attendance.

The G-15 comprises Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

Strengthening cooperation in the development of information technology between member countries has been set as the main agenda of the upcoming summit.

Since the government has canceled plans to import luxury cars for the summit, most Cabinet ministers this week have begun using their private vehicles.

The ministers' official fleet of Volvo S90 sedans has been turned over to the State Secretariat to be used for the summit.

Later on Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab told The Jakarta Post that the government was more than ready to host the summit and the internal political developments will not hamper the meeting.

"It is still on and it will be held as scheduled," Alwi remarked.(dja)