Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has inspected a number of areas around the State Guest House, which were affected by floods on Thursday.

"The president has inspected a number of places affected by floods around the State Guest House - the Merdeka Palace and the State Palace complex," said Julian A Pasha, a spokesperson for the President, on Thursday.

He said flood waters had reached a height of 30 cm near the Merdeka Palace and the State Palace.

He said the height of flood waters is slowly reducing. "The president is worried about residents who are affected by floods," Julian said.

He said the president has instructed Army Chief Gen Pramono Edhie Wibowo to assist victims of floods.

Due to the floods, a meeting between President Yudhoyono and the President of Argentina, Cristina Elisabet Fernandez De Kirchner, which was earlier scheduled at 10.30 am, had to be postponed to 12 noon.

Earlier, Teuku Faizasyah, Presidential Special Staff for Foreign Affairs, said Indonesia and Argentina will enhance regional and global cooperation through various forums - the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) and G20.

FEALAC is an important forum for Indonesia to enhance bilateral relations with Latin American countries through economic cooperation.

The two countries are working closely to provide assistance to developing countries in various ways, including technical cooperation.

Faiza said Argentina is one of the leading Latin American countries, with more than 18 million middle class people.

Argentina`s per capita income is US$17,700, and the country's economy grew by 8.9 percent in 2011.

"Hence, economic cooperation between Indonesia and Argentina has become important, in light of the recovering global economy," Faiza pointed out.

The Argentine President will visit Cuba, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam next.
(A014/KR-BSR/B003)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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