September 16, 2010
The Jakarta Globe
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, center, gesturing as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono look on at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vietnam in April. A spokesman says Yudhoyono is unlikely to be able to attend next Thursday's ASEAN summit in New York called by United States President Barack Obama. (AFP Photo) Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is unlikely to attend a summit of Southeast Asian leaders called by US President Barack Obama this month in New York, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
The failure of the leader of the region’s biggest economy and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country to attend the summit will be a blow to Obama’s efforts to reach out to the strategically important region.
Officials blamed the short notice given for the summit, which was announced on Sept. 3, and Yudhoyono’s prior engagements.
“The US-ASEAN summit invitation was given in short notice. The president’s agenda at that time was fixed earlier this year,” spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
The White House has said Obama will hold talks with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in New York on September 24, at the time of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The summit is Obama’s latest attempt to reinvigorate US policy towards the rapidly developing region, where US primacy is seen by some as waning in the face of China’s growing economic and military might.
Domestic affairs have forced Obama, who went to school in Indonesia as a child, to cancel two visits to Jakarta in the past 12 months.
The democratic, nominally secular archipelago is a key founding member of ASEAN, which includes members as diverse as regional financial hub Singapore, Buddhist Thailand, communist Vietnam and military-ruled Myanmar.
Agence France-Presse
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Comments
peterR
5:17pm Sep 16, 2010
Who's throwing his toys out of the pram cos Obama didnt visit his playground then?
AdamBC
4:03pm Sep 16, 2010
This reminds me of a similar story. A friend of mine asked me to come to his birthday party. I accepted the invitation, but two days before the party my grandmother got sick, and we had to go visit her in the hospital, so I couldn't attend the birthday celebration. A few months went by, and my birthday was coming up. My mom arranged for a party at my home, and I invited all of my classmates and friends, but my friend, whose party I had missed for a very good reason, said he couldn't attend. When I asked why, he exclaimed "I already have plans". Later I found out that he had just stayed at home, sulked and played Nintendo by himself. Immature right? It's understandable though, we were eight! Sound familiar?
Somebody needs to get baby SBY his bottle, I think he's getting cranky.
Roland
2:09pm Sep 16, 2010
This sounds really quite arrogant - Indonesia, as part of the ASEAN group should feel honored to be considered to this meeting, as the results might just help to push the economy Indonesia's ahead. USA is still the biggest economy in the world, regardless of its current state and this approach by SBY just doesn't sound all too mature! What can be sooo important to allow ignoring a potential improvement of Indonesia's condition! Doesn't sound all too committed to me - even when President SBY talks the talk that an improvement of the economy and eradication of poverty is a key factor of his job!
I am looking forward to observe were he's going to be end of September...
mauriceg
12:11pm Sep 16, 2010
Well, he has just trashed a potentially important summit on a diplomatic whim. (SBY is giving tit for tat to Obama for not visiting Indonesia). SBY though is not a statesman. If he was, he would be attending. There could have been no surprises about the summit so his excuse sounds like a downright lie.
Given his performance domestically to date it is doubtful if he would be missed in Indonesia during the summit (or even if he failed to return home permanently).
Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is unlikely to attend a summit of Southeast Asian leaders called by US President Barack Obama this month in New York, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
The failure of the leader of the region’s biggest economy and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country to attend the summit will be a blow to Obama’s efforts to reach out to the strategically important region.
Officials blamed the short notice given for the summit, which was announced on Sept. 3, and Yudhoyono’s prior engagements.
“The US-ASEAN summit invitation was given in short notice. The president’s agenda at that time was fixed earlier this year,” spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
The White House has said Obama will hold talks with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in New York on September 24, at the time of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The summit is Obama’s latest attempt to reinvigorate US policy towards the rapidly developing region, where US primacy is seen by some as waning in the face of China’s growing economic and military might.
Domestic affairs have forced Obama, who went to school in Indonesia as a child, to cancel two visits to Jakarta in the past 12 months.
The democratic, nominally secular archipelago is a key founding member of ASEAN, which includes members as diverse as regional financial hub Singapore, Buddhist Thailand, communist Vietnam and military-ruled Myanmar.
The failure of the leader of the region’s biggest economy and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country to attend the summit will be a blow to Obama’s efforts to reach out to the strategically important region.
Officials blamed the short notice given for the summit, which was announced on Sept. 3, and Yudhoyono’s prior engagements.
“The US-ASEAN summit invitation was given in short notice. The president’s agenda at that time was fixed earlier this year,” spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
The White House has said Obama will hold talks with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in New York on September 24, at the time of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The summit is Obama’s latest attempt to reinvigorate US policy towards the rapidly developing region, where US primacy is seen by some as waning in the face of China’s growing economic and military might.
Domestic affairs have forced Obama, who went to school in Indonesia as a child, to cancel two visits to Jakarta in the past 12 months.
The democratic, nominally secular archipelago is a key founding member of ASEAN, which includes members as diverse as regional financial hub Singapore, Buddhist Thailand, communist Vietnam and military-ruled Myanmar.
Agence France-Presse
---------------------------------
Comments
peterR
5:17pm Sep 16, 2010
Who's throwing his toys out of the pram cos Obama didnt visit his playground then?
AdamBC
4:03pm Sep 16, 2010
This reminds me of a similar story. A friend of mine asked me to come to his birthday party. I accepted the invitation, but two days before the party my grandmother got sick, and we had to go visit her in the hospital, so I couldn't attend the birthday celebration. A few months went by, and my birthday was coming up. My mom arranged for a party at my home, and I invited all of my classmates and friends, but my friend, whose party I had missed for a very good reason, said he couldn't attend. When I asked why, he exclaimed "I already have plans". Later I found out that he had just stayed at home, sulked and played Nintendo by himself. Immature right? It's understandable though, we were eight! Sound familiar?
Somebody needs to get baby SBY his bottle, I think he's getting cranky.
Roland
2:09pm Sep 16, 2010
This sounds really quite arrogant - Indonesia, as part of the ASEAN group should feel honored to be considered to this meeting, as the results might just help to push the economy Indonesia's ahead. USA is still the biggest economy in the world, regardless of its current state and this approach by SBY just doesn't sound all too mature! What can be sooo important to allow ignoring a potential improvement of Indonesia's condition! Doesn't sound all too committed to me - even when President SBY talks the talk that an improvement of the economy and eradication of poverty is a key factor of his job!
I am looking forward to observe were he's going to be end of September...
mauriceg
12:11pm Sep 16, 2010
Well, he has just trashed a potentially important summit on a diplomatic whim. (SBY is giving tit for tat to Obama for not visiting Indonesia). SBY though is not a statesman. If he was, he would be attending. There could have been no surprises about the summit so his excuse sounds like a downright lie.
Given his performance domestically to date it is doubtful if he would be missed in Indonesia during the summit (or even if he failed to return home permanently).
Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is unlikely to attend a summit of Southeast Asian leaders called by US President Barack Obama this month in New York, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
The failure of the leader of the region’s biggest economy and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country to attend the summit will be a blow to Obama’s efforts to reach out to the strategically important region.
Officials blamed the short notice given for the summit, which was announced on Sept. 3, and Yudhoyono’s prior engagements.
“The US-ASEAN summit invitation was given in short notice. The president’s agenda at that time was fixed earlier this year,” spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.
The White House has said Obama will hold talks with leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in New York on September 24, at the time of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The summit is Obama’s latest attempt to reinvigorate US policy towards the rapidly developing region, where US primacy is seen by some as waning in the face of China’s growing economic and military might.
Domestic affairs have forced Obama, who went to school in Indonesia as a child, to cancel two visits to Jakarta in the past 12 months.
The democratic, nominally secular archipelago is a key founding member of ASEAN, which includes members as diverse as regional financial hub Singapore, Buddhist Thailand, communist Vietnam and military-ruled Myanmar.
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