The ASEAN Summit is expected to adopt, among other things, an accord named Bali Concord III that will affirm the association`s resolve to participate in the settlement of global issues.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - To make sure maximum efforts were being made to ensure the success of the upcoming ASEAN and East Asian Summits in Bali, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for a second time personally checked the preparations and venues of the summits in Nusa Dua, Bali Island, on November 8-9, 2011.

Yudhoyono wanted to see to it that the ASEAN Summit and its related meetings in Bali would proceed successfully not only in organizational but also in substantive terms.

The success in terms of substance would be the mark of Indonesia`s success as host, he said. Success in substantive terms referred to the agreements reached or documents adopted about ASEAN.

"Here in Bali we can produce declarations or whatever as a historic document to overcome regional or global problems," he said.

From November 14-19, 2011, Bali is hosting the 19th ASEAN Summit, the Sixth East Asian Summit (EAS), the ASEAN-India Summit, and the ASEAN-UN Summit which will also be attended by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

The ASEAN Summit is expected to adopt, among other things, an accord named Bali Concord III that will affirm the association`s resolve to participate in the settlement of global issues.

President Yudhoyono had already visited Bali on October 23, 2011, where he received reports about preparations for the summits.

On Tuesday (Nov 8), upon his arrival in Bali, the head of state chaired the final coordinating meeting to discuss the final preparations for the summits

The head of state and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono later inspected the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC) and the Bali International Convention Center (BICC), respectively to be the venues of the ASEAN Summit and the EAS.

He ordered some improvements, suggested additional facilities and sometimes expressed his appreciation when he was satisfied with what he saw.

The president particularly instructed the making of tight security arrangements for the summits.

"The security system must be tight. If someone has no ID card, don`t allow him/her to enter, either in BNDCC or in BICC. The roads towards the venues must be fully secured," he said as quoted on the official website of the president.

The ASEAN Summit, he said, would also be related with other multilateral meetings such as the recent G20 meeting in France and APEC later in Honolulu.

He said those meetings could be used as comparisons so that Indonesia could present the best for ASEAN.

President Yudhoyono said Indonesia has a tradition of being a good host and therefore all parties must maintain the reputation.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha had earlier said that the ASEAN Summit and other meetings associated with it were very important forums and therefore the president wanted to make sure all the preparations were being made as expected.

Julian A Pasha, a presidential spokesman, said that of 18 heads of state invited to the Bali summits, 15 have confirmed their participation.

They are from Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

"The heads of state/government of the United States, Japan, China, South Korea and a special representative of New Zealand will also be present," he said after attending a presentation on the preparations for the summits in Nusa Dua, Bali, on October 23, 2011.

In the presentation, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi in his capacity as the chairman of the ASEAN and East Asia Summit organizing committee, and Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa as the deputy chairman, elaborated on the preparation process.

"Just now, the minister/state secretary reported about the preparations to the President, that there had been nine coordinating meetings and five field visits in Bali between June 16 and October 15, 2011," he said.

The presentation on the Summit preparations was attended by among others President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, and Tourism and Creative Economic Minister Mari E Pangestu.

Security arrangement has become important because the planned participation of the 15 heads of state/government, including US President Barack Obama, in the summits in Bali.

Last Monday (Nov 7), a US Air Force plane landed in Bali carrying logistics for the security of US President Barack Obama who is scheduled to arrive on the island on November 16, 2011.

The plane also carried several security personnel and presidential protocol officers in various fields.

Ngurah Rai Airforce Base Commander LT Col Jumarto said the aircraft carried various logistics such as security equipment to be used in line with their presidential security standards.

"They have indeed asked for special space in Bali to keep their logistic supplies during the ASEAN Summit and we have prepared it," he said, adding that in the afternoon another plane arrived carrying a number of US security personnel.

Two US planes are expected to arrive daily to carry logistics until D-Day, Jumarto said.

Around 600 Naval officers would also be deployed to secure Bali, Commander of the Main Naval Base V Denpasar Colonel I Wayan Suarjana said in Denpasar in early October 2011.

Four F16 jet fighters will escort planes carrying the heads of state/government to attend the Bali summits.

Five warships have been deployed in Bali Waters to guard the island during the summits.

The warships are KRI Banda Aceh, KRI Sura, KRI Kerapu, KRI Slamet Riyadi, and KRI Karel Satsuitubun, according to Lt Col Yayan Sugiana, a spokesman of the Eastern Indonesian Naval Fleet Command (Koarmatim).

Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika also has ensured Bali is secure and ready to welcome participants of the summits and is secure.

"Nothing will happen that could hinder its preparations, stability and its personnel`s readiness," the governor said in Denpasar, recently.

Bali hosted the first ASEAN Summit in February 1976. This year, the 18th ASEAN Summit was held in Bali on May 7-8, and the 19th ASEAN Summit is going to be organized from November 14 to 19, 2011.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam.

Indonesia`s theme for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2011 is "ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations".(*)

Reporter: By Fardah
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011