Mega to meet Australia's Crean

Mega to meet Australia's Crean

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri will reportedly meet
with Australian opposition leader Simon Crean Monday to discuss
counterterrorism and economic issues.

"I think it's terribly important that we build personal
contacts, (and discuss) issues associated with terrorism,
regional security, and the economic agenda," the Australian Labor
Party leader told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Television on
Sunday, Associated Press reported.

There was no official confirmation from Megawati's office.

The world's most populous Muslim country has had a rocky
relationship with Australian Prime Minister John Howard's
government in recent years.

Megawati has said she will not meet with Howard next month at
a ceremony to commemorate last year's deadly nightclub bombings
on Indonesia's Bali island, which killed 202 people, including 88
Australians.

Howard had asked to meet the Indonesian leader on Oct. 12 --
the anniversary of the attacks -- to discuss anti-terrorism
cooperation, but Megawati said she had a prior commitment to host
a visit by the Algerian president.

Crean is also scheduled to meet Indonesia's police chief, the
head of state intelligence, academics and religious leaders in
Jakarta.

On Tuesday, Crean will fly to Singapore to meet with the
acting prime minister and senior government ministers. He will
return to Australia on Thursday. --AP