President Sisilo Bambang Yodhoyono officially opened the Bali Democracy Forum here on Wednesday. The forum was organized by Indonesian Foreign Affair Ministry and attended by representatives from 31 countries including three heads of states namely Australian Prime Minster Kevin Rudd, The Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hasanal Bolkiah, and the Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao.
Spokesman of foreign affair ministry Teuku Faizasyah said that the dialog forum held at The Hyatt Nusa Dua was aimed at boosting democracy in Asia-Pacific country. All members of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) including Myanmar participated the forum as well as other countries in the region including China, Japan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Iraq, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, and India. A number of countries from outside the region have also been invited as observers including UK, Switzerland, Austria, Netherland, Sweden, Norway, Tunisia, USA, and Canada.
Presidential spokesman Dino Pati Jalal has previously said that Bali Democracy Forum was Indonesia’s initiative aimed at promoting democracy in the region as well as international. The forum would be held annually and followed by monthly technical meetings at a working group level. Bali Democracy Forum would also be followed up by establishment of Institute for Peace and Democracy to be based at Udayana University in Denpasar.
Within the BDF forum Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd led delegations of their respective countries in a bilateral meeting. The two delegations met before attending the opening ceremony of Bali Democracy Forum. The meeting discussed issues affecting Indonesia-Australia relationship as well as regional and international issues.
Indonesian delegation led by President Yudhoyono consisted of Foreign Affair Minister Hassan Wirayuda, Coordinating Minister of Politic, Law, and Security Widodo AS, State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, Communication and Information Minister Muhammad Nuh, and Presidential Spokesman Dino Patti Jalal.
Australian delegation led by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd included Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer, the Australian Parliament’s Chairman of International Development Affairs, Economic Adviser to Prime Minister, Foreign Affair Adviser to Prime Minister, and the Chief of Staff of Prime Minister’s Office.
News by ANTARA
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