Mega gives Garuda statue to St. Petersburg museum

Agencies, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri handed over a three-meter high Garuda statue to the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum on Wednesday symbolizing the warm bilateral relations between Indonesia and Russia.

The 500-kilogram statue was made by Balinese artist I Made Ade Astawa. St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum director Mikhail Piotrovsky received the statue from Megawati.

Megawati, who arrived in Moscow for a five-day state visit last Sunday, traveled to Russia's second largest city to witness preparations for St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary celebrations.

Antara reported on Wednesday that Megawati was scheduled to meet St. Petersburg leaders as Indonesia will take part in the celebration.

Megawati is on a 10-day official visit to Romania, Russia and Poland to strengthen bilateral ties. The President had also used the opportunity to canvass military equipment Indonesia badly needs in the face of an arms embargo by the United States since 1991.

On Tuesday evening, Indonesia signed an memorandum of understanding on the purchase of four Sukhoi jet fighters and two Mi-35 assault helicopters.

Megawati and Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed a declaration to enhance future military cooperation between the two countries.

Megawati is slated to continue her trip to Poland on Thursday, the last leg of her Eastern Europe tour. She is slated to stay in Poland until Sunday.

In Poland, Megawati will also look into the possible purchase of military hardware for the Indonesian Military (TNI), as there is an offer to purchase a Poland-made tank Sukol.

Before returning to Indonesia, Megawati is slated to attend an emergency Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to deal with the rapid spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Bangkok on April 29.