President Yudhoyono Arrives In Singapore For Working Visit

Jakarta, April 22 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived in Singapore at 10.40 am local time on Monday as part of a trip that will bring him to two other ASEAN countries of Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam from Monday through Friday. The president and his entourage arrived at Singapore`s Changi International Airport after flying for about 90 minutes from Halim Perdanakusuma military airbase here. President Yudhoyono is scheduled to start his working visit in Singapore by attending a luncheon, hosted by his Singaporean counterpart Tony Tan Keng Yam. After that, the head of state will make his way to Nanyang Technological University (NTU) where he will be awarded with honorary doctorate of letters from the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). Then on Monday afternoon, President Yudhoyono will lead Indonesian delegates for an annual Leaders` Retreat during which the president will hold a bilateral meeting with Singapore`s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. At the bilateral meeting, the two leaders will discuss various issues related to relations and cooperation between the two countries. Presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah said that President Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong would discuss development of bilateral relations mainly cooperation in investment, air transport, tourism, manpower, agribusiness and cooperation in the development of growth area Batam, Bintan , Karimun and other economic zones. Later, the Indonesian president will speak before Singapore`s business community in the event of "Thomson Reuters Newsmaker." From Singapore, the president and his entourage that includes First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, will fly to Nya Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Tuesday for a two-day state visit. In Myanmar, Yudhoyono will meet with President Myanmar U Thein Sein to discuss bilateral issues. The two presidents are scheduled to witness the signing of a number of agreements such as on capacity building, trade and investment.