Indonesia's Megawati to meet Bush

President Megawati will have to perform a diplomatic balancing act in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri has arrived in Washington for talks Wednesday with President Bush.

The meeting will be Bush's first with the leader of a Muslim country since last week's terror attacks in the United States.

The meeting is important, observers say, because the U.S. administration will be eager to be seen publicly engaging the support of a large and moderate Muslim country such as Indonesia for its anti-terrorist campaign.

With a population of 224 million, most of whom are Muslims, the South East Asian nation is the worlds most populous Islamic country.

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Megawati, who became leader of Indonesia less than two months ago, has already strongly condemned what she called the "brutal and indiscriminate" assaults and said Indonesia would join the global battle against terrorism.

Maj.-Gen. Sudrajat, director-general for defense strategy, was quoted by Reuters as saying "we will increase our vigilance ... we are going to step up our intelligence network not only within the country but in the region."

He would not say whether any groups linked to Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, who is suspected of being behind the U.S. attacks, have established a foothold in Indonesia.

Senior Indonesian political figures have publicly advised Megawati to exercise caution when commenting on Indonesia's support for U.S. retaliation.

Calls for restraint

Indonesian News magazine Kompas quoted Parliament Chairman Akbar Tandjung as saying Megawati should not get carried away by the atmosphere of mourning in the United States.

"An attack on Afghanistan by the U.S. will have wide implications to other countries," he was quoted as saying.

"For this reason, Madam Megawati should be careful and put a restraint on statements."

Vice President Hamzah Haz also warned the United States earlier this week not to make Islam a scapegoat for the terror attacks.

Meanwhile hard-line Muslim groups in Indonesia have warned Megawati that they would stage massive protests if she becomes "a tool of the U.S. government".

"If the United States attack a Muslim country while she is there, people can interpret that she gives some kind of moral support to their attack," said Al-Habib Rizieg Syihad, chairman of the Front of the Defenders of Islam (FPI).

In recent years, Megawati, who leads a nationalist party, has faced challenges from several Islamic parties and groups, some of whom refused to support her candidacy for president because she is a woman.