Obama Offers Cooperation On Education, Environment

Jakarta Globe, June 28, 2010

Toronto. US President Barack Obama has offered to cooperate with Indonesia on education and climate change as part of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Obama made the offer during a meeting on Sunday morning with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Toronto.

“Together we will discuss developing a study on climate change issues in Indonesia and ways to make it beneficial not only to Indonesia but also to the global region,” Obama said.

Obama also offered Indonesia an education partnership valued at $160 million.

“The meeting this morning is possible because the friendship between Indonesia and United States is strong and we want to make it even stronger,” Obama said, expressing his gratitude to Yudhoyono for the high level of cooperation.

Yudhoyono said Indonesia and the United States wanted to develop a comprehensive cooperation “to face the challenges of the 21st century.”

“The challenges include global economic development and the climate change issue,” he said, adding that dynamic relations between Indonesia and the United States had already made an important contribution to the region and world at large.

Obama opened the meeting by saying “ selamat pagi, ” or “good morning,” to Yudhoyono. He went on to say that the Indonesian leader was an important and influential figure in efforts to overcome the challenges of climate change.

The US president acknowledged that he had twice postponed visits to Indonesia, but promised he would make it to the country where he spent part of his childhood. However, he did not offer a specific date.

On Saturday, Yudhoyono met with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties between the countries.

Yudhoyono’s next port of call is Ankara, Turkey, for a state visit, the first in 25 years.

In Ankara, Yudhoyono will hold meetings with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will also deliver a speech before the Turkish Parliament and attend an Indonesia-Turkey business forum.

He will round out his international tour with a minor pilgrimage to Mecca.