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Indonesia rejects ``no-fly zone`` for President Bush`s visit
Jakarta, Oct 19: Indonesia has rejected a request by the USgovernment to make the air space over Bali a no-fly zone for eighthours next week when President George W Bush makes a brief stopoveron the island, reports said today.
Jakarta, Oct 19: Indonesia has rejected a request by the US
government to make the air space over Bali a no-fly zone for eight
hours next week when President George W Bush makes a brief stopover
on the island, reports said today.
``We give the same facilities to all visiting foreign heads of
state. So there will be no special treatment for the US President,``
Indonesian Transportation Minister Agum Gumeler told the state-run
Antara news agency.
Bush is scheduled to visit Bali for a four-hour stopover on Wednesday when he will meet with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and at least three moderate Moslem leaders at a hotel near the airport.
The United States is concerned about security in Bali because it was the site of a terrorist attack on October 12, 2002, that killed 202 people, mostly westerners. The attack was carried out by Indonesian Moslem militants bent on revenge on the United States and its allies for mistreatment of Moslems worldwide.
Seven US nationals died in the Bali bombings of two popular nightspots on the island`s Legian Entertainment Strip, in Kuta district.
Indonesian Air Force spokesman Brigadier General Sagom Tamboen said US authorities had asked Indonesia to clear Bali`s Nguraj Rai Airport from all flights for four hours before and after Bush`s arrival and departure.
``The Indonesian government will only follow the existing international regulation whereby we will give the US Presidential plane a few moments precedence over other aircraft on landing and departure, not four hours before and four hours after take-off,`` said Tamboen.
Bush will fly to Bali from Singapore, his first stop after Bangkok where he is scheduled to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit this weekend.
In their bilateral talks, Bush and Megawati are expected to cover a number of issues including terrorism, us foreign policy in the Mideast and the possibility of a resumption of full military-to- military relations.
The US imposed an embargo on all military sales to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in the aftermath of widespread human rights abuses committed by pro-Jakarta militias in East Timor, a former Indonesian territory that is now an independent nation, in 1999.
Bureau Report
Bush is scheduled to visit Bali for a four-hour stopover on Wednesday when he will meet with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and at least three moderate Moslem leaders at a hotel near the airport.
The United States is concerned about security in Bali because it was the site of a terrorist attack on October 12, 2002, that killed 202 people, mostly westerners. The attack was carried out by Indonesian Moslem militants bent on revenge on the United States and its allies for mistreatment of Moslems worldwide.
Seven US nationals died in the Bali bombings of two popular nightspots on the island`s Legian Entertainment Strip, in Kuta district.
Indonesian Air Force spokesman Brigadier General Sagom Tamboen said US authorities had asked Indonesia to clear Bali`s Nguraj Rai Airport from all flights for four hours before and after Bush`s arrival and departure.
``The Indonesian government will only follow the existing international regulation whereby we will give the US Presidential plane a few moments precedence over other aircraft on landing and departure, not four hours before and four hours after take-off,`` said Tamboen.
Bush will fly to Bali from Singapore, his first stop after Bangkok where he is scheduled to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit this weekend.
In their bilateral talks, Bush and Megawati are expected to cover a number of issues including terrorism, us foreign policy in the Mideast and the possibility of a resumption of full military-to- military relations.
The US imposed an embargo on all military sales to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in the aftermath of widespread human rights abuses committed by pro-Jakarta militias in East Timor, a former Indonesian territory that is now an independent nation, in 1999.
Bureau Report