President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, who was inaugurated in October last year, will visit the United States between Oct. 25 and 28, following an invitation from US President Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta. But there was yet to be confirmation about whether it would be an official state visit.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced the visit on Tuesday following their consultations in Washington DC, during which they discussed the future of the partnership between the countries and issues of common concern, such as climate change, countering violent extremism and ASEAN-related issues.

'€œI'€™m very pleased to announce that on October 26th, President Jokowi will come to Washington to meet with President Obama, where we can further develop the bilateral trade relationship as well as other things that we are working on together,'€ Kerry said in a joint press briefing with Retno at the State Department.

Describing Indonesia as the world'€™s third-largest democracy and the world'€™s most populous Muslim majority nation, Kerry said he looked forward to setting up the meeting of both presidents next month. He also said that they had a similar way of getting things done, such as their promotion of bureaucratic and regulatory reforms.

'€œAnd there are many critical issues that we share enormous concerns about. We'€™re working very closely on any number of economic relationships,'€ he said as quoted by the AFP.

'€œIndonesia plays a critical role, with respect to the South China Sea, our concerns about climate change and other issues,'€ the American chief diplomat said.

Meanwhile, according to information from the ministry, President Jokowi'€™s visit will include a meeting with President Obama at the White House on Oct. 26, and meetings with senior figures of the US Government, the US Congress, as well as business leaders in Washington DC on Oct. 26 to 27.

The following day, President Jokowi will visit San Francisco for meetings with business communities and university leaders.'€œAs Secretary Kerry mentioned, Indonesia plays a very significant role in the region, in ASEAN, and as the most populous Muslim country, we can contribute a lot to creating peace and stability in the region and in the world,'€ Retno said.

Separately, Vice President Jusuf Kalla is scheduled to fly to New York early on Wednesday to represent Indonesia in the annual General Assembly of the United Nations.

'€œI am representing the government at the UN function,'€ Kalla said on Tuesday.

Kalla said that issues at the center of discussions at the UN would include security, gender equality and South to South cooperation.

Aside from celebrating the Idul Adha holiday in New York with his entourage, Kalla will also meet Indonesian citizens residing in the Big Apple.

The Vice President and his entourage will be flying on commercial airlines, and are scheduled to return home on Oct. 4. (ren)

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