British trade delegation to meet Yudhoyono at palace

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/07/2011 9:39 AM | Business

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to receive a British delegation on trade and investment led by the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.

Presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah said the meeting would discuss efforts to improve trade and investment between the two countries. On Wednesday, Andrew met with Coordinating
Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa.

Hatta said British companies were interested in developing the energy sector in Indonesia, particularly in oil and gas.

“Apart from that, they are also interested in being involved in the development of infrastructure, whether that be in the energy sector, transportation or manufacturing,” Hatta said.

Britain was also interested in improving the capacity of small and medium enterprises by opening the British Standard Institute here.

“They are really genuine in wanting to be engage in capacity building,” Hatta said.

Andrew, Hatta said, suggested a few regulatory reforms to improve the capacity of local entrepreneurs and to provide certainty to businesses in terms of legal procedures.

FPI threatens to topple Yudhoyono

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 02/10/2011 2:00 PM | National

The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) warns it will overthrow President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from government if he dares disband any mass organization, including FPI.

“The FPI will become like Ben Ali of Tunisia. Indonesia will be like Egypt. We will topple SBY because he has diverted [attention from] the [Ahmadiyah] issue,” FPI militia commander Munarman told tempointeraktif.com over the phone on Thursday.

Munarman made the statement in response to Yudhoyono’s calls for the disbanding of any violent mass organizations following barbaric attack on a Ahmadiyah congregation in Cikeusik, Banten, which led to the death of three of its members.

He said that Yudhoyono had made a mistake because the incident, as well as the burning of three churches in Temanggung, Central Java, on Tuesday, had not involved any mass organizations.

Munarman, a former chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, said the FPI would make every effort to prevent the government from disbanding any mass organizations.

Yudhoyono arrives in Switzerland for WEF

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/27/2011 11:05 AM | Headlines

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his entourage arrived at Zurich International Airport in Switzerland at 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday (local time). 

The presidential aircraft, Garuda Indonesia Airbus 330-300, landed safely after flying for nine hours from Palam Military Airport in New Delhi.

The Yudhoyono spent the night in Zurich before heading to Davos, a three-hour drive from Zurich, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), tempointeraktif.com reported Thursday.

The President is scheduled to present a keynote speech and attend a questions-and-answers session with WEF chairman Klaus Schwab.

This will be Yudhoyono's first attendance at the forum.

Indonesia will host the WEF for East Asia from July 12 to 13.

In Davos, Yudhoyono will also deliver a speech on energy before executives of global energy companies.

Along with Mexican President Felipe Calderun, Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob G Zuma, Yudhoyono will act as a panelist in the sustainable development session.

He is also scheduled to attend a session meeting on economic growth and world trade revitalization, to be attended by British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Counselor Angela Merkel and WTO Director Pascal Lamy.

On the sidelines of the forum, Yudhoyono will have bilateral meetings with a number of heads of state, including Columbia President Juan Manuel Santos, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President of the Switzerland Confederation Micheline Clamy Rey.

Yudhyono is also scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, former US president Bill Clinton, and former British prime minister Tony Blair

President Yudhoyono to sign 32 MoUs during India visit

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/24/2011 10:09 AM | Business

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will work on developing stronger cooperation with India in politics, the economy, education, culture and technology during his three-day visit beginning today, an official said on Monday.

India invited Yudhoyono as a chief guest to Indian Republic Day on Jan.26, Presidential special staff for international affairs Teuku Faizasyah said in Jakarta on Monday, as reported by kompas.com.

Yudhoyono and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are expected to witness the signing of 17 government-to-government Memorandums of Understanding and 15 government-to-business MoUs. About 500 businessmen from both countries are also expected to attend the event.

The President is also scheduled to meet several high-ranking Indian officials including Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Indian opposition party chairwoman Srimathi Sushma Swaraj, and Indian Coalition Party chairwoman Srimathi Sonia Gandhi.

E. Java visit: Yudhoyono to address farmers, discuss climate

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 01/14/2011 9:46 AM | National

During his East Java working visit on Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to launch the “National Farmers’ Movement to Handle Climate Anomalies”.

The official launching ceremony will take place in Lebo village, near the East Java town of Sidoarjo.

Yudhoyono is also expected to speak with local farmers and fishermen, and have a teleconference with farmers in Makassar, Samarinda and Medan.

“The President will also hear an explanation of climate anomalies by Agriculture Minister Suswono,” East Java administration spokesman Gunarto said Friday, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Gunarto added that Yudhoyono would also witness the signing of memorandums of understanding between several institutions pertaining to measures to cope with climate anomalies.

Later on Friday, the President is scheduled to conclude his two-day visit and head back to Jakarta.