Nusa Dua, Bali - All heads of state/government, including United States President Barack Obama, will be given equal security treatment during the Bali summits, National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono said here on Tuesday.
"We have made the same security arrangements or precautions for all the heads of state/government at the ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit, without any exception," the TNI chief said when inspecting the readiness of the Indonesian military and police personnel and units assigned to duties to safeguard the high-level international conferences in Nusa Dua, Bali.
Agus said if it appeared that security for US President Barack Obama was being provided in a special way that was merely because US presidents always bring along their own security guards when visiting foreign countries.
"And Obama's security guards have also coordinated with us so that if something happens, it can be tackled quickly," the TNI chief said.
The 19th ASEAN Summit will be attended by the heads of state/government from ten ASEAN countries namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Besides, the heads of state/government from China, South Korea, and Japan will also be present at ASEAN+3 Summit and the 6th East Asia Summit.
But the heads of state/government from the United States, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and India will be present only at the East Asia Summit.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama is scheduled to arrive in Bali on Thursday night, November 17, 2011, but a number of US military airplanes have for several times landed at Ngurah Rai airport to discharge logistics for Obama and his entourage during their stay in Bali, Indonesia. (*)
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Jawa Timur 2011
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Jawa Timur 2011