NU chairman: Obama's visit to improve US-Islam ties

Surabaya, NU Online
General chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), KH Hasyim Muzadi, hailed the planned visit to Indonesia by US President Obama next month, saying it would expectedly improve the US-Islam ties.

"Obama`s arrival will be good for Indonesia because Obama has offered restoring the US relationship with the Islamic world after undergoing tension during the era of George Bush," he said here on Saturday evening.<>

He made the statement at the Al Akbar Mosque at a religious gathering to commemorate the death of former president KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) 40 days ago.

Hasyim who is also the president of the World Conference on Religious for Peace said Indonesia as the world`s biggest Moslem country serves as an international "Islam shop window."

"So, the Obama`s arrival here will be good although what Obama will do cannot be viewed optimally because as a democratic country the US president has a big role but is not everything because there is a legislative body that will limit president`s actions.

He said however that the Obama`s policy was encouraging as Obama with it had helped reduce the tension having so far happened between the Western and Islamic worlds.

"Whether Obama will be able to control Israel, we will see," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Around 10,000 people from many regions in East Java attended the commemoration including Gus Dur`s brother KH Solahudin Wahid (Gus Sholah). (dar)