Our common task this year is to formulate a replacement document to draw a road map to implement the AEC in late December."Kualalumpur (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla arrived at Langkawi international airport on Monday to attend a retreat meeting of the 26th ASEAN Summit at the Langkawi International Convention Center.
Kalla, who was accompanied by his wife Mufidah Jusuf Kalla and a delegation, including Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, arrived at the airport at 5.20 P.M. local time and was welcomed by Kedah State Minister Dato Haji Tajul Urus Haji Mat Zain.
Kalla is scheduled to attend a retreat meeting and the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Summit at Langkawi International Convention Center in the evening.
Apart from attending the ASEAN Summit retreat, Kalla is also scheduled to attend a meeting of the heads of state/administration of the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) on Tuesday.
The 26th ASEAN Summit is held in two sessions, with a plenary session in Kuala Lumpur and a retreat in Langkawi.
On the sidelines of the summit, the heads of state/government of the ASEAN member countries will meet with the representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, ASEAN Youth Representatives, and Civil Society Organizations.
Earlier on Monday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended the opening ceremony of the 26th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.
In his opening speech at the summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Nazib Razak noted this will be a milestone year in the history of the ASEAN countries as they will be implementing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in late December.
"Our common task this year is to formulate a replacement document to draw a road map to implement the AEC in late December," the Malaysian prime minister pointed out.
After the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit, President Jokowi returned to Jakarta. Vice President Jusuf Kalla will represent him in the retreat.
(Reporting by Joko Susilo/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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