Megawati off to Shanghai for APEC summit
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to leave for Shanghai, China, on Wednesday to attend an annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, the palace announced on Tuesday.
In her entourage are Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, State/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo, legislators Ibrahim Ambong and Amris Hasan, military secretary Maj. Gen. Tb. Hasanuddin, presidential secretary Kemal Munawar and the foreign ministry's Director General for Foreign Economic Relations Makarim Wibisono.
From Jakarta, Megawati will stop over in Batam, Riau, to inaugurate a low-cost apartment building built by the manpower ministry before flying to Hong Kong in the afternoon.
During her one-night transit in Hong Kong, Megawati will take time to familiarize herself with issues to be discussed at the summit, which will be attended by top world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
Megawati will fly to Shanghai on Oct. 19 and will have talks with a number of heads of state and government -- including Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo and Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong -- before she meets with the Indonesian community in Shanghai later in the day.
Prior to the APEC summit on Saturday, Megawati is scheduled to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.
The meeting of 21 leaders of APEC member countries -- the first major summit to be held after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. -- is expected to produce a joint declaration condemning terrorism, to toughen controls on terrorists' funds and to safeguard oil supplies for contingency plans, according to a declaration draft.
The draft was being discussed informally by senior officials of the APEC members in Shanghai on Tuesday before being submitted to ministers and leaders of the economic grouping.
APEC ministers will likely discuss whether to issue the declaration as a separate statement or as part of their annual communique, like what happened in 1999 when East Timor -- a former Indonesian province whose annexation was not recognized by the United Nations -- was plunged into violence after the East Timorese voted for independence, delegates said.
According to the palace's announcement, a colorful fireworks display awaits the APEC leaders at the end of their first day of the two-day summit.
The second day will see the world leaders go on a retreat on the outskirts of Shanghai before announcing the declaration to be followed by a media briefing by host President Jiang.
Megawati is scheduled to return to Jakarta on Oct. 22, landing at 2 p.m. at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.(dja)