LOS CABOS, MEXICO— Speaking to chief executives at the the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, held here this past weekend, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri asked nations to lift travel bans imposed on her country after the devastating Bali bombing this month. During the summit, Megawati said the travel bans or warnings issued by several countries since the Oct. 12 bombing threatened to do enormous damage to Indonesias crucial tourist industry. She added that such warnings would only create panic and encourage the terrorists in their campaign. The United States, for example, has pulled out dependents of U.S. Embassy staff in Jakarta and instructed Americans not to visit. Several other countries whose nationals were among the 183 people killed by the bombing at a Bali nightspot have also issued similar travel warnings. A day earlier, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, stung by the deaths of about 90 fellow Australians in Bali, challenged other APEC nations to fight terrorism with strong international agreements and, more importantly, on their own turf. Indonesia, an APEC member, had been criticized in the United States and elsewhere for allegedly dragging its feet in the effort to clamp down on militant Islamic groups, but it has apparently been galvanized into action by the Bali attacks. SOURCE: Reuters
