AFP, Jakarta :
British Prime Minister David Cameron begins a visit to Southeast Asia Monday, looking to seal $1.2 billion in trade deals and push for greater cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State group.
Cameron will arrive in Indonesia on the first stop of a four-day trip, accompanied by 30 British business leaders and the trade minister, before heading to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.
He will use meetings with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia and Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia to discuss what he calls the “common enemy” of IS jihadists, who have seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
Hundreds of young Britons have joined IS in Syria and Iraq, sparking fears they could launch attacks on home soil upon their return. The threat from the jihadists is also in focus after IS claimed an attack on a Tunisian hotel last month that left 30 Britons dead.
Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population and has long struggled with extremism, fears up to 500 of its citizens have been lured to the Middle East by IS, while nationals of Muslim-majority Malaysia have also joined the jihadists. In remarks before the trip-his first outside Europe since being
re-elected in May-Cameron said he would be talking to Southeast Asian
leaders about “one of the biggest threats our world has faced”.
“We will only defeat these brutal terrorists if we take action at home, overseas and online and if we unite with countries around the world against this common enemy,” he said.
Britain would offer expertise on counter-terrorism, he added, and could also learn from Indonesia and Malaysia about what they have done to tackle extremism and build tolerant societies.
With trade a major focus as Britain seeks to find new markets in fast-growing Asia, Cameron said that deals worth more than £750 million ($1.2 billion) would be struck during the trip.
“Over the next 20 years, 90 percent of global growth is expected to come from outside Europe and Britain must be poised to take advantage,” he was cited as saying in British media.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be taking British businesses to this vast and dynamic market, securing deals worth over £750 million and creating opportunities for hard-working people back at home.”
Accompanying Cameron on the trip are senior figures from prominent British businesses including engine maker Rolls-Royce and construction equipment maker JCB.
British Prime Minister David Cameron begins a visit to Southeast Asia Monday, looking to seal $1.2 billion in trade deals and push for greater cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State group.
Cameron will arrive in Indonesia on the first stop of a four-day trip, accompanied by 30 British business leaders and the trade minister, before heading to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.
He will use meetings with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia and Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia to discuss what he calls the “common enemy” of IS jihadists, who have seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
Hundreds of young Britons have joined IS in Syria and Iraq, sparking fears they could launch attacks on home soil upon their return. The threat from the jihadists is also in focus after IS claimed an attack on a Tunisian hotel last month that left 30 Britons dead.
Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population and has long struggled with extremism, fears up to 500 of its citizens have been lured to the Middle East by IS, while nationals of Muslim-majority Malaysia have also joined the jihadists. In remarks before the trip-his first outside Europe since being
re-elected in May-Cameron said he would be talking to Southeast Asian
leaders about “one of the biggest threats our world has faced”.
“We will only defeat these brutal terrorists if we take action at home, overseas and online and if we unite with countries around the world against this common enemy,” he said.
Britain would offer expertise on counter-terrorism, he added, and could also learn from Indonesia and Malaysia about what they have done to tackle extremism and build tolerant societies.
With trade a major focus as Britain seeks to find new markets in fast-growing Asia, Cameron said that deals worth more than £750 million ($1.2 billion) would be struck during the trip.
“Over the next 20 years, 90 percent of global growth is expected to come from outside Europe and Britain must be poised to take advantage,” he was cited as saying in British media.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be taking British businesses to this vast and dynamic market, securing deals worth over £750 million and creating opportunities for hard-working people back at home.”
Accompanying Cameron on the trip are senior figures from prominent British businesses including engine maker Rolls-Royce and construction equipment maker JCB.
