Indonesian President to Visit Two Koreas

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 08, 2002

Indonesian President to Visit Two Koreas

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Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri will visit both South Korea and DPRK (North Korea) later this month in her bid to play the role of peacemaker between the two Koreas, according to a report of Korea Times in Seoul Thursday.

``Megawati will visit North Korea from March 28-30 and then South Korea from March 30-April 1,'' a Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry official said Wednesday.

Megawati's visit to DPRK is drawing keen attention as she is expected to hold a summit meeting with DPRK's National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il.

DPRK has refused to come to the dialogue table despite repeated calls for talks by the U.S.

``Megawati's visit to Pyongyang is significant in that it will provide a chance to gauge the North's attitude toward talks with South Korea and the U.S.,'' the official said.

The Seoul government plans to ask Megawati to convey its message to the DPRK leader urging the North to promptly resume dialogue with the South and the U.S..

Megawati will become the second head of state to make a simultaneous visit to the two Koreas following Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson last year.

While serving as vice president, Megawati was invited to visit the North in May 2000 and April 2001 but the visits were delayed due to the North's need to prepare for the inter-Korean summit meeting in June 2000 and Indonesia's domestic situation, respectively.

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