FORTY-ONE COUNTRIES, INT'L ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATE IN BALI PROCESS FORUM

Nusa Dua, Bali Province, April 14 (ANTARA) - Representatives of 41 countries and international organizations are to take part in the Third Bali Regional Ministerial Conference (BRMC III) or also known as the Bali Process here on Wednesday (April 15).

The Bali Process would be participated in by representatives of 41 member countries, 19 non-member countries, and 13 international organizations, according to Sam E Marentek of the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry, here on Tuesday.

Prior to the ministerial conference, senior officials of Indonesia and Australia here on Tuesday discussed technical matters of the conference's topics on people smuggling, human trafficking and related international crimes.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday before chairing the conference on the next day.

The participating countries and world bodies include Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, IOM, and UNHCR which are grouped in the Bali Process' Advisory Team.
The Bali Process' member countries taking part in the meeting consist of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nauru, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, North Korea, Fiji, New Caledonia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Srilanka, Syria, Timor Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam.

Non-member countries taking part in the meeting comprise Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Britain, and the United States.

International organization attending the conference are ADB, APC, ICMPD, ICRC, IFRC, IGC, ILO, Interpol, UNDP, UNODC, and the World Bank.

The Bali Process forum, launched in 2002, is co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia. The Indonesian delegates include Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda and Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalata.

The conference is to discuss issues among other things on Rohingya refugees who had fled his country, Myanmar, and are currently stranded in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.