April 11, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427

JAKARTA, April 10: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Monday that Indonesia is prepared to serve as a bridge between the Pacific and Asian regions as requested by Pacific island countries.

Geologically located between the Asian and Pacific regions, Indonesia has the best position to bridge the two regions in developing cooperation in economic, socio-cultural and various other sectors to enhance people’s welfare in Pacific island countries, he pointed out.

Mr Yudhoyono was speaking at a press conference at the Jakarta Convention Centre, after receiving heads of governments and heads of states from several Pacific island countries such as Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, New Calidonia, Fiji and Micronesia.

Those Pacific leaders are visiting Indonesia to attend the 62nd meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) taking place here from April 6 to 12.

Actually, Indonesia has become a bridge between Pacific and Asian countries in the last several years, but with the proposal forwarded by Pacific leaders, the Indonesian government is committed to play a more crucial role in concrete cooperation projects or activities.

The cooperation projects are not necessarily the big ones, but must be concrete and applicable like projects aimed at the development of small and medium business, health and education sectors, he explained.

To fulfil the hope of Pacific island countries, Indonesia will ask for the participation of the third parties, especially big countries such as China, according to Mr Yudhoyono.

Indonesia is interested in becoming part of cooperation between Pacific island countries, said the president.

Replying to a question forwarded by the press if leaders of Pacific island countries asked about developments in Papua and West Irian Jaya provinces, Mr Yudhoyono said no one of them touched on the two provinces. “But I explained that I have just returned from Merauke in efforts to enhance people’s welfare in the region, for example, by improving the health and educational sectors,” he added.—APP