SBY receives Obama; finally
Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 11/09/2010 5:03 PM
After twice canceling and potentially
calling off another visit due to volcanic eruptions, US President
Barack Obama has finally arrived in Jakarta and is now holding a
meeting with Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Half an hour after landing at Halim
Perdana Kusumah Airport in East Jakarta, Obama, accompanied by his
wife Michelle Obama, arrived at Merdeka State Palace in Central
Jakarta at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and was welcomed by Yudhoyono and First
Lady Ani Yudhoyono in a state military ceremony.
The two leaders are now holding a
closed-door meeting inside the Palace, and are expected to address a
joint press conference at 6.45 p.m before participating in a state
dinner at 8:30 p.m.
A makeshift stage has been prepared in
the garden of the Presidential Palace complex to accommodate the huge
number of journalists from both local and US media, but heavy rains
pouring down at the Palace complex will likely force the two
Presidents to address the press conference inside Merdeka Palace
instead; and to only a limited number of members of the press.
