Megawati agrees to boost peace in Korea

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has responded positively to South Korea's request that she play an active role in boosting peace in the Korean peninsula, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.

Hassan said the President would attempt to bring North Korea back to the peace negotiation table with South Korea and the United States in her visit to Pyongyang at the end of this month.

The government, he said, is optimistic it could persuade North Korea due to Indonesia's long-standing ties with the communist country.

"We have strong bilateral ties since 1964 ... North Korea truly recognizes Indonesia's position as a country that supports the incorporation of North Korea in the Asian Regional Forum," he said.

Megawati's visit is also aimed at renewing and strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. She will be the only second Indonesian president to visit North Korea in 38 years.

The two countries opened diplomatic ties when Indonesia was led by founding president Sukarno, who is Megawati's father, and North Korea was under Kim Il-sung, who is the father of incumbent President Kim Jong-il.

Megawati will visit North Korea from March 28 to March 30, which is part of her 12-day official trip that will also take her to China on March 24, South Korea and India.

During her visit in Pyongyang, Megawati is scheduled to meet with North Korea's assembly chairman, Kim Yong-nam, while her schedule to meet with Kim Jong-il is yet to be confirmed.

Hassan denied speculation that the visit would taint Indonesia's relations with the U.S. after President George W. Bush made negative remarks on North Korea recently.

The trip, Hassan said, is part of Indonesia's free and active foreign policy and it has been arranged since last year.