WIRAJUDA, CLINTON HOLD BILATERAL MEETING

Jakarta, Feb 18 (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda here Wednesday afternoon held a bilateral meeting with his US counterpart Hillary Clinton who arrived at the Foreign Affairs Ministry at 4.30 pm.

During her stay in Indonesia, Hillary was expected to discuss various current issues, improvement of bilateral relations in particular, with Wirajuda.
"Regional and international issues which have been the two countries' attentions will be high on the agenda at the meeting," Wirajuda said.

The minister said so long as Indonesia and the US upheld the values of human rights, democracy and pluralism, there was reason to enhance their bilateral relations.

On her arrival at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Clinton was welcomed by Wirajuda and a number of other Foreign Affairs Ministry officials.

Also on hand on the occasion were Indonesian Ambassador to the US Sujatman Parnohadiningrat, Presidential Spokesman Dino Patti Djalal and Spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry Teuku Faizasyah.

After the bilateral meeting, Wirajuda and Clinton were slated to hold a joint press conference.

Clinton arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta at about 2 pm aboard a Boeing 757-200 aircraft.

Her visit in Indonesia is as part of a tour of four East Asian countries. After Japan and Indonesia, Clinnton is scheduled to visit South Korea and China.

Asia is the first region visited by Clinton since her appointment as secretary of state by US President Barack Obama.