GMA to boost ties with Indonesia during visit

President Arroyo is to fly to Indonesia for a two-day state visit beginning today to strengthen bilateral ties as well as cement cooperation on anti-terrorism, arms smuggling and fishing.

Mrs. Arroyo will fly from Cagayan de Oro City, where she is checking on relief operations for victims of storm "Nanang" that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

The President will immediately proceed to Istana Merdeka, the Indonesian presidential palace, upon arrival in Jakarta for a meeting with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

The two leaders will hold a one-on-one meeting and later witness the signing of several bilateral accords, a Malacañang statement issued yesterday said.

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

Among the leading issues to be discussed involves arms smuggling, which the Indonesian leader raised during her visit here and is a problem shared by both countries bound by a common border.

"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," Mrs. Arroyo said.

A senior adviser to Mrs. 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.

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

Before flying back to Manila tomorrow, the President will meet with Indonesian business leaders and attend a forum on opportunities in the east Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) sub-region which comprise both countries as well as with the Filipino community there.

She is also expected to lay a wreath at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Kalibata and visit the Asean secretariat. She also said she will be discussing the distribution of Philippine movies in Indonesia.

"Two movie producers will be with the business delegation in my trip to discuss this matter with their Indonesian counterparts," Mrs. Arroyo said. Malacañang did not identify the two producers.

When Megawati visited the Philippines last Aug. 21, she noted how Indonesians loved to watch Filipino films, Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President likewise said there will be a long-overdue signing of a bilateral agreement on fisheries. "This is something that has been sought for many, many years now," she said.

With the signing of the agreement, "we will be able to move forward on our border agreements," she added.

Mrs. Arroyo is expected back in Manila late Tuesday afternoon, the presidential palace said. – Paolo Romero