JAKARTA, May 10 (UPI) -- Indonesia's president, meeting in Jakarta Wednesday with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, offered to mediate in the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he hoped the nuclear issue could be resolved peacefully, the BBC reported.
Ahmadinejad, on a three-day visit to Indonesia, is expected to sign trade and energy deals, including one to develop an oil refinery on the Indonesian island of Java. Iran is investing billions of dollars in Indonesia's oil and gas sector.
The hot issue, however, is Iran's nuclear program, which the United States and other Western countries fear is aimed at developing weapons. Washington is pushing for U.N. action on the issue.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters ahead of the visit that his country wanted Iran to be more transparent, but that developing nuclear energy was a basic right for every country. His ministry has said Indonesia could play the role of middleman to help resolve the international dispute.
Ahmadinejad is expected to meet with religious, political and business leaders in Jakarta before flying to Bali on Friday for a meeting of the Developing Eight group of Muslim countries, which comprises Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
