PM Chavalit expected today for two-day visit
PM Chavalit expected today for two-day visit
JAKARTA (JP): Thai Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is
slated to begin a two-day visit to Indonesia at the invitation of
President Soeharto today, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono
announced Tuesday.
Besides giving a chance to get acquainted, the visit will
allow the two leaders to strengthen the friendly relations
between the two countries, Moerdiono said.
The minister said this will be Chavalit's first overseas visit
since he was appointed prime minister of a coalition government
on Dec. 1.
His entourage is expected to include his wife Khunying
Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, foreign minister Prachuab Chaiyasan, and
Boonchong Veesomma, secretary-general to the prime minister's
office, according to Moerdiono.
Chavalit, a former army general, was defense minister in the
previous coalition cabinet under prime minister Banharn Silpa-
archa. The New Aspiration Party, of which he is chairman,
won the November election by enough of a margin, to earn him the
right to form a government.
In spite of the election outcome, Banharn still represented
Thailand during the meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum in Manila and the informal summit of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta, both in
late November.
President Soeharto is scheduled to host a dinner for his guest
at the State Palace tonight.
Talks between the two leaders are scheduled for tomorrow
morning. Chavalit will fly home later in the afternoon.
There is now a growing presence of Thai corporations in
Indonesia. Thailand's private investment in Indonesia reached
$2.2 billion in 26 projects, according to the Investment
Coordinating Board.
The two countries bilateral trade is also rising
significantly. Last year Indonesia struck up a barter deal with
Thailand, exchanging locally manufactured small planes for
Thailand's glutinous rice.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
announced Tuesday he would go ahead with a five-nation Asian tour
next week despite the Lima hostage crisis, Reuters reported.
The trip, starting on Jan. 7, will take Hashimoto to Brunei,
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Earlier this week, at the height of the Lima hostage siege,
foreign ministry officials had said Hashimoto was considering
canceling the trip because of the almost 14-day-long siege at the
Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima.
"I am going ahead with the trip," Hashimoto told reporters. "I
place my entire trust in Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori and
have made arrangements so I can always be contacted."
Hashimoto's decision to proceed with the tour appeared to be a
sign that the siege might be near an end. (emb)