VEEP FULLY IN CHARGE WHILE PRESIDENT IN EUROPE

Jakarta, Dec. 13 (ANTARA) - Vice President Boediono is fully in charge of handling domestic affairs while President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is on an eight-day tour of four European countries.

President Yudhoyono had issued a presidential decree on the authority transfer, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said after seeing off the President and his entourage at Halim Perdanakusuma international airport, here on Sunday.

"The decree has been issued. It's indeed a normal procedure if the president is on overseas visit for quite long," the minister said.

The head of state and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono are on a European tour until December 20, 2009. He is scheduled to visit Belgium, France, Germany and Denmark.

On December 17, the president will be in Copenhagen, Denmark, to participate in the 15th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Over 100 world leaders are expected to join the COP 15 UNFCCC being held until December 19, 2009.

The 145-member Presidential entourage to the European trip includes Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, State Minister of Environmental Affairs Gusti Muhammad Hatta, Industry Minister MS Hidayat, and Agriculture Minister Suswono.

While President Yudhoyono is on overseas visit, Vice President Boediono has been given authorities to implement the government's 100-day programs by chairing a cabinet meeting at the vice presidential office on December 17, 2009.

"There is no special message from the president. It's just to monitor the security and public order," Djoko Suyanto said.

Meanwhile Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Radjasa said the head of state asked coordinating ministers to make coordination with respective ministers in accordance with their fields.

Minister Hatta Rajasa denied an issue on a cabinet rift following a polemic on Bank Century bailout case which allegedly involved Finance Minister Sri Mulyani and Vice President Boediono.

He also denied another issue that a number of ministers had threatened to resign from the United Indonesian Cabinet II.