Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil said on Thursday the city was fully prepared to receive the international guests who were coming to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference on Friday.

He said the people were also very enthusiastic to greet the international leaders and their delegations and intended to provide them with the best service.

The popular mayor called on residents to prioritize the security and comfort of the guests and, although he shared their excitement, he also urged them to refrain from entering the ceremony area on Friday.

'€œThe public can greet the delegations and our guests along the route from Jl. Asia-Afrika to the airport, but please do not enter Jl. Asia-Afrika,'€ said the mayor.

For residents of Bandubg, West Java, such a ceremony is not totally new because the city also hosted the 50th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference in 2005. The government built the Cipularang toll road for that commemoration 10 years ago.

Siliwangi Military Commander Maj. Gen. Dedi Kusnadi Thamim said he would deploy 4,200 personnel to back up the 4,200-strong police force to secure the ceremony.

The situation around the Merdeka Building was quiet on Thursday as security forces began to guard the area.

Meanwhile, Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara disclosed that protocol and security officers conducted two rehearsals on Thursday alone.

'€œThe purpose was to make everything perfect,'€ the minister said.

The general manager of state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II, Yayan Hendrayani, said Husein Sastranegara International Airport was already closed on Thursday and would remain that way until Friday evening.

'€œWe are still waiting for confirmation from the heads of delegations who will use their private jets to fly into Bandung,'€ said Yayan.

Some of the delegations will use their own planes, such as the delegates from Myanmar, Malaysia, China, Angola, Vietnam and South Africa. Several leaders will skip the ceremony and other related events in Bandung, West Java on Friday, an official has said.

The leaders who were expected to have left Indonesia by Thursday night included Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Jordan'€™s King Abdullah II, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Brunei Darussallam'€™s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the Seychelles'€™ Vice President Danny Faure.

'€œThe absence of these leaders in Bandung tommorrow will not diminish the importance the events will carry,'€ senior Indonesian diplomat Yuri Thamrin said on Thursday.

Most of them decided to depart early because of domestic matters, he added.

The ceremony is part of the commemoration of the Asian-African Conference'€™s 60th anniversary, which has been held since Sunday.

The conference'€™s series of events will conclude in Bandung, on Friday with a commemorative walk and the inauguration of the Asia-Africa Monument.

Leaders from Asian and African nations are scheduled to re-enact the walk the leaders of the two continents took during the original conference in 1955 from the Savoy Homann hotel to the Merdeka Building, where the event was held.

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