Beijing
Indonesia prepares security for upcoming ASEAN Summit
www.chinaview.cn 2003-09-17 15:56

¡@¡@JAKARTA, Sept. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The Indonesian government has prepared a security unit comprising over 4,000 personnel to pacify the upcoming Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in October, an official said Wednesday.

¡@¡@State Secretary Bambang Kesowo said the government will deploy 2,999 regular troops, 1,000 guards and 262 members of a special unit.

¡@¡@The security unit will be a joint force of the military and the police, he told the House of Representatives' Commission One overseeing defense and foreign affairs at the parliament compound here.

¡@¡@"As a precautionary measure for higher level of threat, we will also deploy the anti-terror unit that will get support from marine and air patrols of the military," he said, adding that his office has requested a fund of 39.9 billion rupiah (some 4.7 million US dollars) to finance the high-level meeting.

¡@¡@The resort island of Bali has been chosen as the venue for the Summit of heads of states and governments from ten ASEAN member countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, thePhilippines, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam -- plus three dialogue partners: China, Japan and South Korea.

¡@¡@Organizers said the Indian leader is also invited for the summit, which is scheduled for Oct. 7-8 and preceded by three-day senior official and ministerial meetings. Enditem


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