Inten will head RI delegation to Manila

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Social Services Inten Suweno will head the Indonesian delegation to the Asia-Pacific ministerial conference on social development in Manila next week.

Inten told reporters on Wednesday that the Manila gathering on Monday and Tuesday is a prelude to the UN conference on the same subject to be held in Copenhagen next March.

The Manila talks will be the fifth gathering of the Asia- Pacific ministers.

The meeting is expected to produce a declaration stating the common position of Asia-Pacific countries ahead of the Copenhagen conference, Inten said.

Three main topics are on the agenda -- poverty alleviation, work productivity and social integration. The meeting will also lay down the agenda on social development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Senior officials of the Asia-Pacific delegations began deliberating on Wednesday to prepare for the ministerial conference. (emb)