Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged US leadership on climate change during a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Jakarta on Thursday. Clinton's visit aimed to strengthen US ties with Southeast Asia and the Muslim world, before she headed to South Korea to discuss the North's military threat. Yudhoyono and Clinton met at the presidential palace and discussed economic cooperation, Palestine, and efforts to reach a new global agreement on climate change. According to a presidential spokesman, Yudhoyono emphasized the importance of US leadership in achieving a global consensus on climate change. In a previously recorded TV interview on a local youth music show, Clinton confirmed her attendance at a conference in Cairo on March 2 to discuss rebuilding Gaza when asked about the new administration's efforts to improve relations with the Islamic world. She mentioned that President Obama and herself expressed the United States' commitment to assist in the Middle East immediately upon taking office. The damage in Gaza after Israel's offensive, which resulted in the deaths of 1,300 Palestinians, is estimated to be around $2 billion. Clinton's visit to Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, underscores President Obama's goal of strengthening the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world, especially considering the unpopularity of many of the policies of former President George W. Bush's administration in that region. While most Indonesians practice a moderate form of Islam, there is a minority group of radical individuals who have expressed opposition to Clinton's visit through small protests. Indonesia is home to the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and boasts the largest economy in Southeast Asia. Discussions during Clinton's visit have touched on the financial crisis, with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda mentioning talks about potential U.S. assistance through a currency swap agreement and contingency funding to support the region's leading economy. Indonesia is already in negotiations to extend currency swap agreements with Japan, China, and South Korea. President Yudhoyono, seeking reelection, aims to highlight Indonesia's stability since transitioning from autocracy to democracy after former President Suharto's resignation in 1998. Clinton, like previous U.S. officials, has pointed to Indonesia as an example of the coexistence of modernity and Islam, particularly during her visit to the country where Obama spent part of his childhood. During her appearance on the "Dahsyat" music show, Clinton received applause when she mentioned her appreciation for classical music as well as her love for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Before heading to South Korea, she was scheduled to visit a USAID sanitation project in Jakarta. North Korea has been making threats of war against the South in recent weeks, with Pyongyang believed to be preparing to launch its longest-range missile in an attempt to gain the attention of the new US administration and pressure Seoul to soften its stance. Clinton has stated that such a missile launch would not improve relations. After visiting South Korea, Clinton will travel to China, the final destination on her Asian tour which also included Japan. This trip marks her first international visit since assuming office in the United States.