President leaves for ASEAN Summit in Thailand

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 10/24/2009 9:10 AM  |  National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono departed from Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in Jakarta for Hua Hin, Thailand, to attend the 15th ASEAN Summit on Saturday.

Yudhoyono was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, Culture and Tourism Minister Jerowacik, Agriculture Minister Suswono and Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Gita Wirjawan.

The trip marks Yudhoyono's first foreign trip in his second presidency. He was inaugurated earlier this week.

The three-day annual summit began inauspiciously Friday when half the bloc's 10 leaders failed to show up at the opening.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was hosting an official visit by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Yudhoyono was swearing in a new cabinet, Malaysia's government was presenting its budget to Parliament and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was running late due to Typhoon Lupit, the third storm in a month due to hit the Philippines.

One of the first orders of business was the inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva described it as "a significant milestone" in the 42-year history of ASEAN.

The group has traditionally steered clear of rights issue because of its reluctance to meddle in the internal affairs of member nations.

But activists immediately condemned the commission - which will focus on promoting rather than protecting rights - as powerless and were angered by the exclusion of several members of civil society from the summit.

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