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Bush effort to turn anti-U.S. tide
BALI, Indonesia -- U.S. President George W. Bush has arrived on the Indonesian island of Bali for a brief stopover during which he will meet Muslim leaders in a bid to counter growing anti-U.S. sentiment, on the rise following the war in Iraq. Bush is also expected to personally thank Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri for her support in the war on terrorism during the three-hour visit to the republic. The meetings on Bali are being seen as a symbolic gesture in the wake of last year's nightclub bombings on the island which left 202 people dead. Solahuddin Wahid, one of the board leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic Organization, told the official Antara news service the meeting between Indonesian Muslims figures and the U.S. leader would be "a good opportunity for a meaningful exchange of views". The Muslim leaders could "properly explain about the Indonesian Islamic position and stance to the American foreign policy toward Islamic countries especially those of the Middle East," he said. Bush will meet the rector of Indonesia's Islamic State University and the chairman of the Indonesian Community of Churches, both moderate Muslim leaders representing about 70 million adherents, The Associated Press reports. The issue of military ties between the U.S. and Indonesia is also likely to be raised in the meeting with Megawati. CNN's Atika Shubert says Bush is personally in favor of resuming talks aimed at restoring ties between the two nations' military, but will be insistent the Indonesian military be held more accountable for it actions. Military links were cut by Washington following the bloodshed in East Timor surrounding the territory's 1999 referendum on independence. Public sentiment in Indonesia -- the world's most highly populated Muslim nation -- has swung sharply against the U.S. since the war in Iraq, according to recent polling. Bush's visit has already been marked by several small protests in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and further protests are expected today. But offcials have promised security will be watertight in Bali with at least 5,000 police and army troops on guard, and warships patrolling the waters surrounding the tropical island. Indonesia has an active terrorist network, Jemaah Islamiyah, which has an estimated 3,000 members and is believed by Western intelligence agencies to have links to al Qaeda. Before heading for Bali Bush held talks with Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, praising him for his leadership and thanking him for Singapore's help in Iraq's reconstruction, including training for the Iraqi police. (Bush message to Singapore) After Bali, Bush will fly to the Australian capital Canberra where he will hold talks with Prime Minister John Howard and address a specially-recalled joint sitting of the nation's parliament. (Canberra clampdown) Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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