Mega ends trip, concludes counterterror deal with Pakistan
Mega ends trip, concludes counterterror deal with Pakistan
Agencies, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri completed on Tuesday her state
visit to Pakistan, where she inked trade and antiterrorism
agreements with the South Asian country.
Megawati and Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan
Jamali witnessed the signing of preferential tariff and
antiterrorism cooperation agreements between the two
predominantly Muslim countries.
"The concrete implementation of the antiterrorism agreement
involves sharing intelligence information," Megawati told a press
conference for Indonesian journalists as quoted by Antara.
The President said Pakistan would like to enhance its trade
and social relationships with Indonesia in order to give more
substantial meaning to the existing ties between the two
countries.
Earlier on Monday, Megawati held a meeting with Pakistani
President Pervez Musharraf.
The visit came a few days after Pakistani authorities deported
six Indonesian students who were arrested early in September for
alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
Among the students, who are currently in Jakarta Police
custody, is Rusman Gunawan, the younger brother of terrorist
suspect Hambali, who is currently in United States custody.
Megawati began the state visit in Pakistan on Sunday under
tight security as a few hours before her arrival President
Musharraf survived an assassination bid.
She canceled on Tuesday her plan to visit Taxila industrial
estate on the outskirts of Islamabad and cut the trip short by
three hours from its original schedule.
Megawati denied speculation that her trip had been cut short
for security reasons, saying that the Pakistani government had
ensured the safety of their guests.
"It was more a technical arrangement, and that we did not have
to see the industrial estate," Megawati said.
The presidential entourage is slated to arrive here later on
Wednesday at Halim Perdanakusumah airport.
Megawati's trip to Pakistan came after a visit to Tokyo for
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan
commemorative summit and a personal trip to Shanghai.
During the press conference, the President also said the new
trade deal with Pakistan was part of a comprehensive economic
cooperation agreement between the two countries.
It was Megawati's first visit to Pakistan, while President
Musharraf visited Indonesia in 1999 after a bloodless coup in
Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda said Pakistan had sought Indonesia's support for its
membership of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
Pakistan's rival India has summit partner status with the
Southeast Asian security grouping.
The ARF comprises ASEAN members as well as Australia, Canada,
China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand,
South Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United
States.
Pakistan "wishes to consolidate its excellent relations with
the ASEAN," the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted
President Musharraf as saying.
"We believe that our close and active association with ASEAN
processes would be mutually beneficial," he said.
Musharraf told Megawati there was a need to build synergies
between Southeast Asia and South Asia "to develop a win-win
situation for the Asian region as a whole."
Pakistan's total trade turnover with ASEAN countries stands at
around 1.5 billion dollars, whereas rival India's trade with the
bloc is estimated at 12.5 billion dollars, an official told AFP.
Megawati has told Musharraf that Indonesia, the current ASEAN
chair, and all other ASEAN countries "unanimously support
Pakistan's admission" and would endeavor to make it happen in the
coming months.