President go ahead with U.S., Japan visit

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri will go ahead with her trip to New York and Washington as scheduled, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said.

Speaking at a media conference after a Cabinet meeting on Friday, Hassan said the Indonesian government appreciated the U.S. government's invitation and considered it a "positive sign" of continuing support for the government.

Hassan said Megawati would also address the United Nations General Assembly session on Sept. 24.

"The President truly appreciates the invitation extended to Indonesia even though the U.S. is still in mourning. The government of Indonesia deems it an honor," he said.

Megawati is scheduled to leave for Washington on Sept. 17 and to hold a meeting with President George W. Bush on Sept. 19. She will fly to Tokyo after addressing the UN General Assembly to meet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

The president of the largest Muslim country in the world will be among the first foreign leaders to visit the U.S. after the shocking attacks in New York and Washington on Tuesday.

Hassan said the visit had been planned long before the attacks.

The U.S. had always been one of the most important friends for Indonesia, he said.

Besides meeting President Bush, Megawati is scheduled to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and open the Indoenergy conference on Sept. 23 in Houston, before attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

Hassan also said that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had postponed his visit to Southeast Asia that includes Indonesia.

"We have received notification of the delay, so I underline that it was not a cancellation but a delay, because of special circumstances," Hassan said.

The terrorist attacks have disturbed scheduled trips of world leaders including those attending the General Assembly's annual meeting in which at least 50-world leaders were to speak.

President Kim Dae-jung of South Korea canceled his trip on Thursday, as reported by AP.

The General Assembly has already postponed next week's children's summit, which would have brought 75 presidents and prime ministers to New York. (dja)