Obama to see Borobudur during Indonesian visit

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 02/11/2010 9:01 PM

U.S. President Barack Obama will include a visit to Borobudur, Indonesia's largest Buddhist monument in Yogyakarta, in his tour to the country next month.

Indonesian Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said here Thursday Obama's Indonesian visit would take place from March 20 to 22, but Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto immediately corrected it, saying the date was still "tentative".

"President Obama's visit is planned to take place in the second or third week of March. His schedules here are still being discussed between Indonesian and US officials," Djoko told a press conference after a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office, which discussed, among others, Obama's visit.

Djoko said as of Thursday, officials of the two countries had agreed that while in Jakarta, Obama would pay a visit to Kalibata Heroes Cemetary in South Jakarta, pay a courtesy call to his Indonesian counterpart President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and have a bilateral meeting with him.

He is also scheduled to attend a state dinner visit, and have some "nostalgic" tour to Menteng area in Central Jakarta, wherein the first US black president spent part of his childhood, including going to school there.

"And we've also scheduled a kind of presidential speech, but the venue is still being discussed. We hope it can accommodate plenty audience so what he (Obama) thinks and wants can be understood," Djoko added.

Another place in the country that Obama will visit appears to be Yogyakarta, wherein he wishes to show his wife and two daughters the Borobudur temple and the "cultural side" of Indonesia, according to Djoko.