President Arroyo arrives here today

President Arroyo arrives here today

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrives here
today for a two-day state visit aimed at boosting bilateral ties
between the two neighboring countries.

Philippines Embassy Press Officer Rowena Sera told The Jakarta
Post on Sunday that Arroyo would arrive at the Halim
Perdanakusuma airport at 09:30 local time and proceed immediately
to the Presidential Palace to meet the Indonesian president.

Rowena said Arroyo was also scheduled to meet with leaders of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and Indonesia's Chambers
of Commerce and Industry.

Megawati and Arroyo will hold a one-on-one meeting today and
later witness the signing of several bilateral accords, Agence
France-Presse reported, quoting a Philippines presidential palace
source.

Her visit is in response to an invitation extended by
Soekarnoputri when she visited Manila in August.

Among the key issues to be discussed is arms smuggling, which
Megawati raised during her visit to Manila and is a problem
shared by both countries.

"When I go to Indonesia, I hope to be able to describe to
President Megawati what our defense establishment is doing with
regard to the smuggling of small arms," Arroyo said as quoted by
AFP.

A senior adviser to Arroyo in August said officials were
checking on reports that Muslim Abu Sayyaf separatist rebels in
the southern Philippines were smuggling arms to Indonesian
separatists in Aceh.

Arroyo is also expected to meet with leaders of Indonesia's
People's Consultative Assembly, led by Amien Rais.

Before leaving on Tuesday, Arroyo will also meet with
Indonesian business leaders and attend a forum on opportunities
in the eastern Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
sub-region, which includes both countries, as well as meeting
with the local Filipino community here.

Arroyo was expected back in Manila late Tuesday afternoon, the
presidential palace said.