Yudhoyono Hopes Next Govt Committed to Developing Papua

Manokwari, W Papua (Antara)- President Susilo Bambang Yodhoyono has expressed hope that the next government will be committed to developing Papua and West Papua provinces to put them on par with other provinces in Indonesia. "Indonesia will become a great nation if all regions enjoy common progress, common prosperity and common welfare," the President said in Mansinam Manikwari island on Sunday. Besides granting wide-ranging autonomy and other special privileges, the government had raised budget allocations for infrastructure development in Papua and West Papua every year, he noted. All these things were aimed at putting the progress, prosperity and welfare of Papua and West Papua on equal footing with those of other provinces in Indonesia, he said. Although budget allocations for infrastructure development in the country continued to increase, the government would always give priority to infrastructure development in Papua and West Papua, he said. He said various infrastructures had been developed in Papua and West Papua but their number was far from adequate. "I have been committed to developing Papua and West Papua more than I have done now but on October 20, 2014 I will end my term of office," he said. (*)