Iliescu begins state visit

JAKARTA: Romanian President Ion Iliescu arrived here late on Sunday at the Halim Perdanakusumah Airport to begin a five-day state visit.

He had just ended a four-day visit to India.

Iliescu is scheduled to hold talks with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday at Merdeka Palace.

This will be the second meeting between the two presidents. Megawati visited Romania last year as part of her Eastern European tour aimed at finding alternative arms suppliers.

Memorandums of Understanding on cooperation in small-and medium-scale businesses and on exchange training for diplomats are ready for signing during Iliescu's visit.

President Iliescu is also scheduled to visit the historic city of Yogyakarta and the resort island of Bali before ending his trip on Thursday.--JP