JUSUF KALLA, WIRANTO AGREE TO COALESCE

Jakarta, April 24 (ANTARA) - Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla, the current vice president, and People's Conscience (Hanura) Party leader Wiranto have reached an agreement to coalesce.

In a meeting at the Golkar Party headquarters in Slipi on Friday morning, the two figures agreed to coalesce for the July 8 presidential election in their effort to build a strong government in the future.
"We discussed ways to form a coalition for the upcoming presidential election in our effort to build a strong government and a developed nation," Jusuf Kalla said after receiving Wiranto.
Kalla added that the two parties also agreed to build a big coalition with other political parties.
Meanwhile, Wiranto said he was delighted with the coalition agreement with the Golkar Party.
"With Golkar, as a matter of fact, we have the same spirit in our determination to build a strong government," Wiranto said, adding that a big coalition would be set up to support their resolution.
At the meeting lasting about one houe, Jusuf Kalla was accompanied by Golkar Secretary General Sumarsono, the party's associate chairmen Syamsul Mu'arif and Aksa Mahmud, regional executive chairmen Gandung Pardiman of Yogyakarta, and Ilham Arief Sirajuddin of South Sulawesi, while Wiranto was accompanied by Hanura Party secretary general Jus Usman, and party executives Bambang Suharto, Fuad Bawasier and KH Azidin.
After a special leadership meeting here on Thursday, Syamsul Mu'arif said the Golkar Party had decided to name Jusuf Kalla its presidential candidate who would contest the July 8 election.
Mu'arif said Golkar had ordered Kalla to set up a special team for communications with other political parties.
In response to the party's decision, Kalla said he was ready to carry it out and expressed appreciation for the mandate.
"As the party chairman I have been assigned to conduct communications (with other parties) with the obvious purpose of exploring (coalition possibilities), and I will start doing that today," Kalla said on Wednesday.