Indonesia Muslim leader hails Obama visit: report

“Obama's visit is good for Indonesia because Obama is offering to heal the relations between the U.S. and the Muslim world after the tensions experienced during the George Bush era,” Nahdlatul Ulama chairman, Hasyim Muzadi, was quoted as saying by Antara news agency late Saturday.

“However, what he can do may not be viewed as the best possible. As the president of the U.S., a democratic country, he plays a major but not encompassing role as there is the legislative body limiting his steps,” he added.

Obama and his family will visit Indonesia in March, in what will be a nostalgic return to the country where he lived as a boy with his late mother and Indonesian stepfather in the 1960s.

The trip has been greatly anticipated in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country since Obama's inauguration, which was welcomed in Indonesia as the start of a new era in U.S. diplomacy.

Obama is also scheduled to visit Australia and U.S. troops stationed in Guam during his trip.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email