Japanese legislators in town en route to East Timor

Japanese legislators in town en route to East Timor

JAKARTA (JP): Five Japanese legislators from the Social
Democratic and Liberal Democratic parties are currently in town
to meet with their Indonesian counterparts and government
officials en route to East Timor.

The legislators, accompanied by three Japanese journalists,
arrived yesterday and are scheduled to meet with House members
and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas today, the ministry's
spokesman, Irawan Abidin, told The Jakarta Post.

He said they would be leaving for Denpasar, Bali, tomorrow
where they will meet with Chief of the Udayana Military Command
Maj. Gen. Adang Ruchiatna Puradiredja before proceeding to Dili,
East Timor.

The Udayana command also oversees the security of East Timor.

"The local authorities have drawn up their itinerary," Irawan
said, adding that the delegation will fly back to Tokyo from
Denpasar on Saturday.

The group had submitted its request to visit East Timor since
May.

A staff member at the Japanese embassy said yesterday that
this is not the first time that Japanese legislators visited
Indonesia, who usually make their trips during the summer.

"We have asked the Indonesian government to settle the
schedule of their activities while they are in East Timor as they
are particularly interested in observing the economic
developments in that region," he said.

Sources say the group was planning to meet with leaders of
several non-governmental organizations last night at the Sahid
Jaya Hotel where they stayed.(pwn)