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US official 'embarrassed' to wear batik in APEC meeting
A US representative on Monday wore batik to a meeting at the APEC Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, only to be surprised he was the only senior official wearing the Indonesian trademark attire at the roundtable discussion
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US representative on Monday wore batik to a meeting at the APEC Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, only to be surprised he was the only senior official wearing the Indonesian trademark attire at the roundtable discussion.
Robert S. Wang, a US senior official for APEC, wore red batik to a meeting to discuss cooperation on renewable energy and joked that he was 'embarrassed' to know that other senior ministers and officials in attendance ' including Indonesian delegates ' had opted against batik.
'Perhaps I'm the only gentleman wearing batik here, I'm so embarrassed,' he said in his opening remarks, to which the officials in attendance responded with laughter.
The meeting discussed how APEC member countries could foster the development of clean and renewable energy, with the formulation eventually forwarded to the APEC Leaders Week on Oct. 1-8.
Indonesia was represented by Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry director-general for renewable energy Rida Mulyana, and senior Foreign Ministry director for Asia Pacific and Africa intra-region cooperation Arto Suryodipuro, who both were clad in dark blazers with ties.
Bill McElnea, a senior advisor for international science and technology cooperation with the US Department of Energy, regretted the fact that he was the among the few US officials who did not wear batik.
'Judging from the weather outside, perhaps it [batik] is the most appropriate,' he joked during the meeting.
This year marks the second time Indonesia has hosted APEC, with the last one in Indonesia being held in Bogor, West Java, in 1994.
At that time, former Indonesian president Soeharto obliged all leaders in attendance, including then US president Bill Clinton, to wear batik on the last day of the summit.
