President Arrives In Bali To Open Nam Meeting

Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived in Bali on Tuesday evening for a two-day working visit during which he will open the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The President arrived at Ngurah Rai Airport at 04.50 p.m. by Boeing 737-800 special presidential plane. 

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa who had earlier arrived and Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika greeted the President upon arrival at the airport.

The President's entourage included Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, National Education Minister M. Nuh, Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam.

The President and entourage later went straight to The Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, where they would make internal preparations for the meeting and take rest.

On Wednesday, the President will receive courtesy calls among others by Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Nabil Al-Araby and the president of the UN's 65th General Assembly, Joseph Deiss before he opens and addresses the meeting. Afterwards, the President, along with 64 ministers participating in the meeting will have group photograph.

Yudhoyono and entourage are slated to return to Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.

The NAM ministerial meeting is preceded by a senior officials meeting held behind closed door and a committee meeting discussing a wide range of political, economic and social issues.

The meeting has a special meaning because it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the movement.  The theme of the NAM ministerial meeting is "Shared Vision on the Contribution of NAM for The next 50 years."

The NAM meeting's organizing committee has invited 118 member countries, Fiji and Azerbaijan as the new members, 18 observer countries, 10 observer organizations, 26 guest countries, and 23 guest organizations.

The ministerial meeting is expected to produce a Bali Commemorative Declaration (BCD) to mark the 50th anniversary of NAM.

NAM was founded in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961, to forge solidarity, boost confidence and unite visions of 25 developing countries joining the Belgrade meeting.

At present, almost 60 percent of the United Nations (UN) members are NAM members.(*)