Megawati set to depart for UN meeting

Megawati set to depart for UN meeting

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri embarks on another overseas trip
on Sunday to attend the United Nations General Assembly's 58th
session in New York.

Set to convey the message that the world body should be more
active in solving international conflicts and explaining the
country's efforts in fighting terrorism, Megawati will address
the Assembly on Sept. 23.

Scheduled to be at the podium on the first day of the session,
she will be at the general debate along with U.S. President
George W. Bush, French President Jacques Chirac, South African
President Thabo Mbeki, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Japanese
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In her speech, Megawati will underscore the importance of the
UN remaining true to its original purpose of keeping peace in the
world and not letting any one country commandeer those efforts.

The President will also call for reform inside the UN Security
Council, which is currently dominated by particular major
countries and fails to mediate in international conflicts, such
as in the Iraqi and Palestinian issues.

Megawati will also talk about the country's efforts to curb
terrorism, especially after the Aug. 5 Marriott Hotel bombing in
Jakarta.

"What Indonesia has to say on terrorism will be taken into
account as we are also a victim of the crime, both in Bali and
Jakarta," former minister of foreign affairs Ali Alatas said
recently, referring to the Marriott bombing and the Oct. 12, 2002
Bali blasts.

"We have proven that the we are able to unravel the case and
proceed with the legal proceedings to punish the perpetrators."

An analyst from the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS), Kusnanto Anggoro, said it was necessary for
Indonesia, as part of the international community, to make such a
statement of intent in fighting terrorism.

Nevertheless, it does not mean that Indonesia will receive
more assistance and fewer queries from the international
community.

"At the end, the assurance of international assistance will
depend on the seriousness on our part in dealing with terrorism,"
he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Megawati
is slated to hold a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The President is also slated to address a breakfast business
meeting and hold talks with the Indonesian community in New York.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda, who are currently in the United States, are scheduled
to join the presidential entourage in New York. There is no
schedule for a meeting between Megawati and Bush.

On her return journey, the President will make a brief visit
to Tunisia and Libya to discuss trade. She is among the first
heads of state to visit Libya after the UN lifted sanctions
against the country on Sept. 12 following the 1988 Lockerbie
airline bombing.