PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO LEAVES BALI FOR JAKARTA

Nusa Dua, Bali, Dec 11 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono left Bali for Jakarta at 9 am local time after paying a two-day working visit and opening the Bali Democracy Forum in the Indonesian tourist resort province.

Besides opening the Bali Democracy Forum, the president in Bali also inaugurated an Institute for Peace and Democracy at Bali's Udayana University.

Before leaving Bali, the head of state received a courtesy call by Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Iftekhar Chowdury at 8 am.

When he received the Bangladeshi foreign minister, Yudhoyono was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayudha, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS, Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, Communications and Informatics Minister Muhammad Nuh and Presidential Spokesman Dino Patti Djalal.

On the previous day, Yudhoyono met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and held a joint press conference.

The heads of state/government attending the Bali Forum included Cavin Rudd, Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.

The Bali forum is intended to encourage Asian countries to develop the principles of democracy in their respective region.

The head of state and entourage are scheduled to arrive at Halim Perdana Kusuma airport in Jakarta at 10 am on Thursday. Upon his arrival in Jakarta, the president is slated to hold a limited cabinet meeting, open a working meeting of provincial governors and receive Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. ***5***