Howard and Yudhoyono to Meet: Batam, Indonesia

John Howard and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will meet in Indonesia later this month signalling the end of a two month diplomatic standoff over the Papua visa issue.

Mr Howard and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a 15 minute phone conversation last week after the Java earthquake and both leaders are said to be keen to put the visa issue behind them. According to sources the two are expected to meet on the Indonesian island of Batam later this month before Mr Howard visits China.

Howard sure gets around the world as a leader of a country. He is nearly almost up to the legendary Abdurahman Wahid or, Gus Dur, who holds the record as the most travelled leader of a country in the world. When Wahid was President of Indonesia, albeit a short time, he virtually covered the globe along with his family in tow.

Anyway, the main thing at the moment is that the two leaders look like burying the hatchet and being civil instead of playing mind games with one another.