Megawati off to attend ASEAN summit

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri left for Brunei Darussalam on Sunday to attend the 7th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

The two-day summit will kick-off on Monday and is expected to adopt a broad declaration condemning terrorism, following the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States.

Megawati was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Suwandi and State/Cabinet secretary Bambang Kesowo for the three-day trip.

The President was also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra upon her arrival at Bandar Seri Begawan on Sunday evening.

Earlier this week, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan said that terrorism would be one of the major issues discussed at the summit and that the ten-member countries of ASEAN would underscore the intention of each of the countries to fight terrorism.

The meeting is also scheduled to discuss regional action and cooperation in combating terrorism, a topic proposed by Megawati during her first visit to ASEAN member countries last August.

It was reported earlier that ASEAN's members face a conflict of opinion over the current U.S-led air strike against Afghanistan.

Indonesia and Malaysia have criticized the air-strikes, which they perceive as killing innocent people, while the Philippines has supported the move.

During the summit, ASEAN leaders will also hold a meeting with the "ASEAN plus three" leaders including Chinese Prime Minister Zhu RongJi, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung.

Vice President Hamzah Haz and several Cabinet ministers saw the President off at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport on Sunday morning.

The President's husband Taufik Kiemas, who had just returned from a health checkup in Perth, Australia on Saturday was also seen at the airport.

The President is slated to return on Tuesday.