Musharraf in Jakarta: Pakistan, Indonesia Talks on ME Today 
By Wahyu Muryadi 'Pakistan Times' Foreign Correspondent

JAKARTA (Indonesia): President General Pervez Musharraf arrived here Tuesday to hold talks with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhyono on topics of immense global significance.

Diplomatic sources told ‘Pakistan Times’ [Daily Web Newspaper] that the current visit by the Pakistani leader to Indonesia is aimed at seeking support to have a common strategy of the Muslim world to overcome the growing unrest in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq.

The President of Pakistan was warmly greeted at Jakarta airport by high ranking top officials of the Indonesian government. Later, he attended a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia.

The visit is in continuation of the 5-nation tour of the Middle East countries undertaken by President Musharraf last week.

The talks between President Musharraf and President Susilo Bambang are scheduled to take place today, Wednesday.

Towards the end of his visit to Indonesia, the President will proceed to Malaysia the same day to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah bin Ahmed Badawi.

The sources termed the visit of President Musharraf to the two major Muslim countries of South East Asia highly significant in a bid to develop consensus among the Muslim leadership to find a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian issue.

President Musharraf’s trip to the Muslim countries reflects Pakistan’s strong desire to play a leading role in bringing harmony and peace to the Muslim world.

The visit also signifies Pakistan’s role as frontline state in the global fight against terrorism and extremism.

During the two-day visit, President Musharraf is accompanied by a small official entourage comprising Foreign Minister Khursheed M. Kasuri and Foreign Secretary, Riaz Muhammad Khan.

Message to India

On his way to Indonesian capital Jakarta, President Musharraf while passing through the Indian air limits made a message-statement of prosperity for Indian President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and hoped that the peace dialogue process would find new ways to resolve all issues between the two neighbouring countries.

President Pervez Musharraf hoped in his message to Indian leadership that Pakistan and India would make the region peaceful by resolving major issues through long-standing dialogue process for the prosperity of their people.

Malaysia

Meanwhile, a story from Kuala Lumpur says that President Pervez Musharraf is expected to have in-depth dialogue with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the progress of his Middle East peace process initiative during his visit to Malaysia today, Wednesday.

Gen Musharraf is also expected to exchange views with Abdullah in Putrajaya on the situation in Palestine and Lebanon and how non-Arab member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) can play a more visible role in revitalizing the peace process.

A Wisma Putra statement said that President Musharraf has had consultations with leaders of Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates on his initiative on the Middle East peace process.

Abdullah will host a dinner in honor of President Musharraf, who will be accompanied by the first lady of Pakistan Begum Sehba Musharraf, Foreign Minister Kursheed M. Kasuri and other senior officials, it said.

The visit is the first after Musharraf's stopover at the KL International Airport (KLIA) on June 13 2005 en-route to his official visit to Australia and New Zealand.

Of FTA

Malaysia and Pakistan will commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations this year after ties were established in 1957.

Both countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is expected to be concluded soon.

It will be the first bilateral FTA Malaysia plans to sign with another member country of the OIC.

The President is scheduled to return home tomorrow, Thursday.●