JP/10/DIPLO
JP/10/DIPLO
France to build
center in Bali
BALI: The French government plans to set up a cultural center in
Bali to promote understanding of its culture, French Ambassador
to Indonesia Renaud Vignal has said.
Vignal said after meeting Bali Governor Dewa Beratha in
Denpasar on Thursday that the cultural center was a non-profit
organization that would run educational activities, such as a
French language course for elementary and junior high school
students, music courses and other arts training.
The French government wanted to boost cooperation with Bali,
Vignal said. "We will realize this cooperation through the
establishment of Indonesian-French cultural centers. One of the
them will be built in Bali," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Bali, known as the Island of the Gods, ranks second after
Jakarta in locations most frequented by the French in Indonesia.
The French community in Bali comprises around 1,000 people.
The center is expected to help bridge cultural differences and
attract more tourists to Bali.
Beratha showed his appreciation of the French government's
interest in Bali. He also assured the ambassador that security
conditions on the island were improving and asked
for his assistance in the recovery of Bali's tourist industry.
The Oct. 1 bombings of three restaurants in Kuta and Jimbaran
have discouraged foreign tourists from visiting Bali. The
bombings killed 23 people, including three suicide bombers. -- JP
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Diplo-U.S.-Aceh
JP/10/DIPLO
U.S. gets nod to
build road in Aceh
JAKARTA: Acting governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Azwar Abu
Bakar has approved the U.S. government environmental feasibility
study for the Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road reconstruction project.
The study is the first environmental impact report approved by
the Indonesian government for tsunami reconstruction, the U.S.
Embassy in Jakarta said in a media statement on Friday. The
project is being undertaken by the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID).
"A key part of our strategy is to ensure that rebuilding the
road minimizes the adverse environmental impacts, while at the
same time meets our goal to build Aceh back better," said USAID
deputy director Robert Cunnane, during the signing of the report
approval in Desa Deah Glumpang in Banda Aceh, in celebration of
Flora and Fauna Day.
The report identifies the environmental and social impacts of
the project and outlines plans to mitigate potential adverse
impacts, such as changes to the landscape and ecosystem, erosion
and dust created by construction.
The 240-kilometer Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road will pass through
one city and three regencies: Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya
and Aceh Barat. The road, which is part of a broader development
partnership between the U.S. and Indonesia, aims at restoring
communication, mobility, livelihood and economic growth for the
communities along the Aceh west coast, the hardest hit by the
Dec. 24 tsunami. -- JP