Megawati in Algeria

Megawati in Algeria

Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri was to arrive
Thursday in Algeria on a state visit focusing on commercial ties
and cooperation in fighting terrorism and in improving the image
of Islam, battered by local insurgences and the Sept. 11 terror
attacks in the United States.

It was the first state visit to this North African nation by
an Indonesian leader despite more than a dozen bilateral accords
signed over the last decade and annual trade of US$500 million.

During Megawati's visit, which ends on Sunday, an important
accord was expected to be signed between Algeria's state-run oil
company Sonatrach and Indonesia's Pertamina.

Megawati, who assumed the presidency of the world's most
populous Muslim nation a year ago, was to meet with President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika and travel on Friday to Annaba, 600
kilometers (about 375 miles) east of the capital, with the
Algerian leader.

Talks also were to center on strengthening cooperation in the
domain of religion, in particular aimed at improving the image of
Islam as a religion of peace, tolerance and respect for human
dignity, Algeria's Foreign Ministry said.

Both countries are fighting Islamic extremists, whose bloody
rebellions have tarnished the image of Islam. The "phenomenon of
terrorism" was to rank high on the official agenda, according to
the Foreign Ministry.

Indonesia and Algeria signed a memorandum of understanding in
1995 that provides for the exchange of ulemas, or religious
sages, organizing joint seminars and other measures to increase
cooperation in the religious domain. The accord was likely to be
the basis for further cooperation. -- AP