INDONESIA STARTS RECEIVING FOREIGN LEADERS' CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION IN AAC by Fardah

   Jakarta, March 31, 2015 (Antara) - In less than three weeks, Indonesia will host the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) and so far at least 25 heads of state and government have  confirmed their attendance, claimed Presidential Chief of Staff Luhut Panjaitan.

        The Government of Indonesia will organize the Asia-Africa Summit 2015 to mark the 60th commemoration of the AAC and the 10th anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership in Jakarta and Bandung, West Java, on April 22-24.  
    The AAC was first organized in Bandung in April 1955, at the initiative of Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, and Pakistan.

        It was viewed as a symbol of freedom from colonialism, besides being a symbol of the resurgence of Asian and African nations. Some 29 countries representing more than half of the world's population had sent their delegates to the conference.

        The main objective of this year's commemorative conference is to showcase Indonesia's leadership since 1955.

        "We have stood in the list of 16 big economies of the world and have great potential to become the sixth- or seventh-biggest economy within ten or 15 years from now," Panjaitan added.

        Some 109 Asian and African countries along with 17 observer countries and 25 international organizations have been invited.

        "President Joko Widodo briefed us at the cabinet meeting on Monday (March 30), that the Japanese prime minister and China's president had confirmed their planned presence," Panjaitan told the press on March 31, 2015.

        Earlier, Jordanian King Abdullah II also expressed his intention to attend the 60th commemoration of the AAC.

        King Abdullah II has communicated his wish to Indonesian former foreign minister Alwi Shihab in his capacity as a special envoy of President Jokowi, at the Hussainia Palace in Amman, Jordan, on March 18, 2015.

        Another leader who has expressed his confirmation of participation is Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

        The confirmation was received by Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister A.M. Fachir during a courtesy visit to the Sri Lankan President in Colombo, on March 16, 2015.

        Fachir was in Colombo as a special envoy of the Indonesian president to deliver the invitation to the Sri Lankan president for the AAC anniversary activities.

        The deputy minister had earlier visited India, Pakistan, and Myanmar to present similar invitations to those countries' leaders.

       President Sirisena's presence at the AAC is important as his country is one of the first initiators of AAC.
  The visit to Indonesia will be his first since Sirisena was installed as the Sri Lankan president in January this year.

        Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi stated that Indonesia will revive the spirit of cooperation on the 60th anniversary of the AAC.

        According to Retno, solidarity, partnership, and cooperation are necessary for unifying the world.

        "Therefore, the spirit of the importance of the Asia-Africa cooperation must be reaffirmed," she emphasized.

        Among important topics of discussion during the AAC summit will be on Palestine, because 60 years since the conference, all countries have been freed and gained their independence except for Palestine.

       Israeli Zionists has illegally occupied Palestine for the past 68 years with the support of its main ally the United States and some other western countries such as Britain, Canada, France, Australia, and Germany.

        West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan is of the view that in this modern era, it is irrational and inhuman to see a nation being oppressed and cruelly occupied.

        "In this super modern and super rational world, there is still a nation being oppressed right before our eyes," the governor said when receiving Palestinian Fighters and the National Committee for Palestinian People in Bandung, recently.

        "Of course the AAC has significant meaning, because all countries attending the first AAC in 1955, have gained their independence, except Palestine," he remarked.

         It is a must for independent countries to fully support and push for the freedom of Palestine, the governor added.

        The 60th anniversary of the AAC to be held on April 24 is expected to yield three documents on world peace.
    The three documents are Bandung Message, Declaration On Reintegrating New Asian Africa Strategic Partnership, and the Declaration On Palestine.

        The preparations for convening the conference have so far been on the right track, and the organizing committee plans to carry out final checks on April 16 in Jakarta and April 17 in Bandung, the capital city of West Java Province.

        As regard to security measures during the conference, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko has said that TNI has already analyzed various potential threats that could possibly affect KAA participating countries.

        "We have analyzed threats that may possibly affect participating countries in the Asia Africa Conference (AAC)," General Moeldoko said recently.

        He emphasized that the Indonesian Military has made all the preparations needed to secure the implementation of AAC properly.

        The military has taken anticipatory measures including preparing troops in the field to anticipate any security threat.

        The West Java authorities, for instance, will deploy nearly nine thousand joint police and military personnel to secure the delegates of the AAC.

        He noted that West Java Police will provide maximum security to the delegates.

        In Jakarta, nearly 150 special force officers will be deployed to guard the foreign prominent delegates.

        Jakarta Police Director for Vital Object Security Senior Commissioner Mulyadi Kahairani revealed that the security officers will guard the ministers of participating countries, while the presidents or heads of states will be offered protection by the presidential guard forces (Paspampres).

        Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir recently remarked that some 20 events have been planned to enliven the AAC commemoration.

        Among the events for the AAC are the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on April 19 and the Ministerial Meeting (MM) on April 20.

        On April 21, the organizing committee will hold the Asia-Africa Business Summit, and Asia-Africa Leaders' Summit on April 22-23.

        Heads of states will participate in the Historical Walk event, which will be held on April 24, the spokesman remarked.

        To highlight the event, Indonesian philatelists will exhibit postage stamps and stationery from 29 member countries of the AAC at the Central Post Ooffice in Bandung, from April 20 to 24, 2015. 
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