M

AKASSAR: Heads of state and former heads of state are scheduled to attend the second Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) general assembly in Makassar, South Sulawesi, from May 21 to 29.

CAPDI is a non-profit organization that brings together senior figures from Asia-Pacific nations, including Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Hun Sen is expected to share his experience in resolving social conflicts in his country. Another speaker at the conference will be former Indonesian vice president Jusuf Kalla, who chairs CAPDI.

As many as 25 CAPDI members and 37 non-members have expressed their wish to attend the conference.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have reportedly canceled their attendance at the event.

The fourth CAPDI conference will carry the theme, 'Mobilizing Governments, Political Parties and Civil Societies to Promote Peace and Reconciliation and to Fight Climate Change in Asia'.

The CAPDI conference will discuss several strategic issues in the Asia-
Pacific region, especially issues on peace and climate change as well as regional politics and economics.

'The main goal of the meeting is to create cooperation and peace among Asia-Pacific nations, with which various conflicts could immediately be
resolved,' said Erwin Aksa, head of the event's organizing committee.

Erwin said the meeting also aimed to resolve certain key issues in Asia Pacific such as the South China Sea disputes and other issues in Myanmar and South Korea.

He added that state leaders needed to prioritize the resolution of these problems so that peace and harmony could be maintained in the region.