Indonesian president to visit PNG

NAY PYI TAW - Indonesian President- elect Joko Jokowi Widodo is expected to visit Papua New Guinea next year. The visit was confirmed by Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Rimbik Pato who attended the 47th ASEAN and 21st ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial and related meetings in the new capital, Nay Pyi Taw, in Myanmar. Minister Pato said PNG as a Special Observer at ASEAN, and a full member of the ARF, had been attending this premium regional gathering of foreign ministers since 1981 with the 10-member countries of ASEAN and the ARF as a full member since 1994. During his discussions with the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Dr Natalegawa, both ministers agreed that Indonesia played a bridging role for ASEAN to the Pacific, while PNG does the same for the Pacific to the ASEAN. Both leaders say that if and when PNG becomes a member of ASEAN, it would make the bridge even more strategically important

 

Source:Fijian Times Online