Mega, world leaders to discuss terrorism at APEC summit

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri is set to hold bilateral talks with world leaders on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Mexico.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday that the meetings would focus on the aftermath of the Bali terrorist attack and that APEC was an excellent opportunity for the President to brief the world on the tragedy and steps that Jakarta had taken to combat terrorism.

He said Megawati was set to meet U.S. President George W. Bush, Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

"While meetings with Chinese President Ziang Jemin and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien are yet to be confirmed," Marty said.

Megawati is also due to meet with heads of state from Chile, Peru, Mexico and South Korea.

Howard said on Tuesday he would discuss with Megawati the progress of the investigation during a Pacific rim summit this weekend.

"It will be an opportunity ... to discuss in more detail and face to face, the progress of the joint operations being conducted to try and find who is responsible for this outrage in Bali," Howard told Australian Parliament as quoted by Associated Press.

The APEC summit comes just two weeks after the Bali bombing that killed more than 180 people and injured hundreds from various nationalities, most of them Australian.

Intelligence officers from Australia, the U.S., Britain and Japan have been in Bali since two days after the bombing.

Howard said the Asia-Pacific summit would be a chance for leaders to "reaffirm their very strong opposition to terrorism" and to "strengthen the fight against terrorism".

The two-day APEC summit begins Oct. 26 and is proceeded by ministerial meetings that began on Monday at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Megawati left Jakarta from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at midnight, Tuesday.

Vice President Hamzah Haz, several cabinet ministers and leaders from Megawati's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), saw her off.

For this trip the President was accompanied by a small entourage, less than 75-members, including her daughter, Puan Maharani and family friend Retty Laksamana Sukardi. Husband Taufik Kiemas has been left at home.