2010-11-09 20:21

JAKARTA - US President Barack Obama arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday for a visit aimed at boosting US security and trade ties with Indonesia, and using the most populous Muslim nation to reach out to the wider Islamic world.

US President Barack Obama (C) and first lady Michelle Obama are accompanied by Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (R) after the Obamas' arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta Nov 9, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

The visit to Indonesia, seen by Obama as an important destination for a variety of strategic and personal reasons, has been twice postponed and the White House said this 20-hour trip could be cut short because of atmospheric ash belched by eruptions from Mount Merapi volcano, 600 km (375 miles) away.

Indonesia's importance as a US ally is on the rise, even if the joy over Obama's election has faded since he became president almost two years ago.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy and a G20 member, Indonesia proved resilient to the financial crisis and has become a hot destination for emerging market investors looking to tap strong consumer demand, abundant resources and political stability.

"We see in Indonesia the intersection of a lot of key American interests, and we see this as a partnership that is very important to the future of American interests in Asia and the world," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security advisor for strategic communications.

Obama's return to a country where he spent four years of his childhood comes after two previously scheduled trips were put off -- in March as he fought to pass his healthcare overhaul law and in June as he faced the cleanup of the massive BP oil spill.

This visit had been in doubt because of concerns about ash from Merapi, which led to international flight cancellations over the weekend and has killed over 130 people. Obama was also met by a tropical downpour that forced his welcome ceremony indoors.

Jakarta is the second stop on Obama's 10-day four-nation Asian tour. He spent three days in India, where his emphasis was on developing business links that could lead to US jobs, and later will visit South Korea, where he attends a G20 summit and Yokohama, Japan, for an Asia-Pacific economic meeting.

The US's loose monetary policy, which has sent a flood of cash looking for higher returns towards emerging markets such as Indonesia, may be a topic for discussion ahead of the G20 meet.

US President Barack Obama waves after arriving at Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta November 9, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]