REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono postponed his plan to visit Perth, where he was scheduled to attend the In the Zone Leadership Forum at the University of Western Australia (UWA), the university's rector said.

Vice Chancellor of UWA Professor Paul Johnson was quoted as saying by Antara here on Tuesday from the university's official website that Yudhoyono decided to postpone his trip by taking into account the "sensitivity of the timing of his visit."

"Due to the sensitivity of the timing of his visit, Dr. Yudhoyono has decided to postpone his trip, but still plans to deliver his keynote address through video conferencing," he affirmed.

Johnson added that the forum, due to be held on Friday, May 1, on geopolitics and international trade was aimed at directly engaging stakeholders in Australia and its regional neighbors to encourage networking and collaboration.

"The In the Zone Leadership Forum builds on the deep and long-term economic and diplomatic relations between Australia and its regional neighbors, including Indonesia," Johnson explained.

In another development, the Indonesian Attorney General's Office has confirmed that it will carry out the execution of nine death row convicts despite the governments of various countries lobbying against the decision.

"Of course, countries whose citizens are facing the death penalty have approached the (Indonesian) government. But it will not affect the nation's sovereignty," Attorney General H. M. Prasetyo stressed.

The nine convicts facing execution are Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Australia; Raheem Agbaje Salami, Silvester Obiekwe Nwaolise alias Mustofa, and Okwudili Oyatanze from Nigeria; Zainal Abidin from Indonesia; Rodrigo Gularte from Brazil; Martin Anderson alias Belo from Ghana; and Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso from the Philippines.

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