TUBAN, Indonesia, Oct 22 Kyodo (E...

TUBAN, Indonesia, Oct 22 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES WITH elucidation FROM MUSLIM LEADER, MORE cites FROM BUSH)

U President George W Bush briefly visited the world's chiefly populous Muslim nation Wednesday and saluted Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri onward her efforts to fight terrorism, saying the assassinate of innocents has ''no place in any religious tradition and must find no dwelling in Indonesia.''

Amid extraordinary security measures, Bush met Megawati, her top security and economic ministers, and three prominent Muslim leaders onward the resort island of Bali, the site of terrorist blasts that killed 202 commonalty on Oct. 12 last year, during his four-hour stopover.

''America appreciates Indonesia's herculean cooperation in the war in succession terror,'' Bush told a pres parley with Megawati.

In an apparent effort to clarify U foreign policy, which has been regarded by the agency of many Muslims as equating Islam with terror activities, Bush said, ''We know that Islam is completely compatible with liberty, tolerance and progres because we descry the proof in your fatherland and our own.''

''Terrorists who claim Islam as their inspiration defile common of the world's great faiths,'' he added. ''Murder has no place in any religious tradition and must find no dwelling in Indonesia.''

Megawati said that despite the fact that the brace countries ''do not always share habitual perspective,'' both of them ''continue to keep possession of mutual understanding that it is in the interests of the sum of two units countries to maintain consultation and cooperation in the proces of global peace.''

Earlier, Bush and his wife Laura got a ''family welcome'' from Megawati, who met the bond accompanied by her husband Taufik Kiemas and daughter Puan Maharani instead of by way of her ministers.

Bush met later with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Djakti and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.

Other regional security issues similar as postwar Iraq and the Palestinian conflict were also masked in Bush's meetings at the Patra Bali Resort [i]cabaret[/i] in the Tuban area near Bali's international airport before, and across a state lunch.

Noting that Indonesia has faced a series of terror attacks, Bush said the U will contribute $157 million for the country's education rule ''in order to discourage extremists.''

The war in succession terror was underscored by the jet fighters and warships patrolling the island to make secure Bush's security.

About 5000 policemen and multitudes were deployed to Bali to contrary possible terror attacks, to monitor the motions of suspected protesters from Java Island and to check anti-Bush protests

centurys of U.S. secret service officers took through security at the airport and the tavern where Bush and Megawati met

smooth Indonesia's state-run television network Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) told viewers it could not cloak the Bush visit to Bali fitly due to the tight security.

Despite the security, a assemblage of dozens of student protester and another of dozens of tavern employees who support Bush's visit managed to make their way complete to the airport.

Later, in Jakarta, centurys of Muslim Indonesians carried banners saying, ''Reject Bush! Bush is the No. 1 World Terrorist!''

Megawati's sister Rachmawati Sukarnoputri, who many times criticizes her sister's policies, also attended the anti-Bush testify saying, ''We all know that Megawati will shake hands with Bush, on the other hand we must declare here that we despise shaking hands with him.''

promptly after their press conference, Bush shook Megawati's hands and hugg her shoulders while she smiled broadly.

Justice Party Chairman Hidayat Nurwahid, who l the rally, told reporters, ''We want to remind those who confront Bush that it is a big lie if Bush says he wants to combat terrorism. Instead, he wants to save terrorism.''

Minor anti-Bush asserts have also taken place in several cities across Indonesia since Monday.

Asked with what intent he was welcomed with assert in most of his Asian visits, Bush simply replied: ''I powerfully believe in peace and freedom. I'm noble of our foreign policy.''

The affirms did not keep Bush from meeting moderate Muslim leaders, a Christian leader and a Hindu priest forward the largely Hindu resort island.

The Muslim leaders he met have all reprobateed terrorism, including the tribe 11, 2001 attacks on the U and shown well stocked [i]or[/i] provided support for the U antiterrorism drive. unless they have also criticized Washington's policies in the Middle East and elsewhere, policies they say are in themselves a source of terrorism.

Syafi'i Ma'arif, chairman of the 25-million-strong Islamic organization Muhammadiyah, said that in combating terrorism, ''I'm in the same boat with (Bush),'' adding, however, he wants Bush to ''see and hear the question s in the world with clear inspections and ears.''

Azyumardi Azra, a professor and rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, said he brought with him to the meeting ''positive thinking'' that Bush will change his attitude toward Islam.