Indonesia gears up for 60th anniv. of Asian-African Conference

Indonesia is undertaking a series of preparations for events commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference, which are slated for April 19 to 24 in Jakarta and Bandung, an official said here on Thursday.

Indonesia Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said that as of now, leaders of 17 countries including Pakistan, Cambodia, Malaysia and Afghanistan have confirmed to attend the events.

"Indonesia has also sent teams to assure confirmation of leaders' attendance in key countries highly expected to attend the upcoming event," Nasir told Xinhua on the sidelines of a press briefing held in the ministry's premises here related to the conference's preparations.

With preparations underway, discussions among representatives of 109 countries planning to attend the events have been progressing at UN Headquarters in New York, the United States.

"Those discussions that began in January were intended to finalize the three documents expected to be enacted in the upcoming Asian- African Conference in Indonesia. It would finish shortly before the commencement of the conference," Nasir said.

Indonesia has prepared historical places to be observed by senior officials and leaders of countries to commemorate the initiation of cooperation movement among countries in Asia and Africa in Indonesia's city of Bandung in 1955, Nasir added. Endi