Bali Hosts Democracy Forum

The "Bali Democracy Forum II" was officially opened on Thursday when Indonesian President and keynote speaker Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono struck a gong.

Attending the forum were the Prime Minister of Japan, the Sultan of Brunei, and the Prime Minister of East Timor.

The forum was created to encourage regional cooperation on issues of democracy and political development among countries in Asia.

It consisted of experience sharing, dialogue, and brainstorming practical ways to strengthen democracy.

[Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia]:
"This forum is not designed to discuss which democratic system is the best, because we know there is no perfect democracy. Any kind of democracy, any character, is a process of continuous dynamic growth.

36 Asian countries and 13 foreign observers participated in the two-day forum.

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama remarked that the development of democracy in Indonesia is growing with dynamic balance.

[Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese Prime Minister]:
"Since the general theme of this democracy forum is to promoting synergy between democracy and development in Asia, the Japanese government wishes to contribute to the discussions actively by join from its past experience."

Hatoyama expressed hope that, as a country with ethnic and religious diversity, Indonesia will become an example for other countries in the realization of democracy, not only in Asia, but throughout the world.

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