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Sjahril Sabaruddin, Ambassador of Indonesia to Uzbekistan talked to UT reporter regarding the visit of Primo Alui Joelianto, Director-General for Asia Pacific and African Affairs on June 28, 2007.
- Your Excellency, in the meeting at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, both Uzbek and Indonesian sides stressed that the relations should strengthen more the potential of two countries. To what kinds of agreements did the governments come during the visit of Ambassador Primo Alui Joelianto, Director-General for Asia Pacific and African Affairs?
-During the visit of His Excellency Primo Alui Joelianto, the two countries had an opportunity to demonstrate the readiness to establish a number of agreements in various fields of cooperation such as trade, economic and investment, tax and customs, communication, industry and energy including on issue of global concern. Uzbek and Indonesian representatives also established ties between the two chambers of commerce and industry. A link was set up between two cities Samarqand and Banda Aceh to strengthen cultural relations of Indonesian and Uzbek people. The above mentioned agreements on bilateral cooperation are yet to be discussed more by both sides.
- Also, could You please tell, how will these agreements reflect the business community and people of Indonesia and Uzbekistan?
These agreements have a significant impact on the mutual relations between our countries. Particularly, the agreements and cooperation in trade will encourage the business community and people of the two countries to enhance business activities which would bring beneficial advantages between the two countries.
- Until now the commodity turnover between the two countries is about US$ 10 million. To what extent is it expected to increase the volume of bilateral trade turnover?
- As it is already mentioned by H.E. Primo Alui Joelianto during the seminar in University of World Economy and Diplomacy on 28 June 2007 and also in the Business forum on 29 June 2007, the economic and trade relations between Indonesia and Uzbekistan has not yet demonstrated the real business available in both countries. Based on the statistic of the Indonesian Department of Trade, total trade volume of both countries in 2005 reached more than US$ 11 million as a positive result for Uzbek partners and in 2006 ? about US$ 10 million. We wish these figures could change in the future which reflected the potential and the mutual beneficial relations between Uzbekistan and Indonesia.
The main Indonesian import from Uzbekistan is cotton and from Indonesia - tea. Every year, Indonesia imports cotton worth of US$ 600 million from many countries and share of Uzbekistan on this commodity is only 1,92%, while tea is imported by Uzbekistan from many countries, and in small volumes from Indonesia. Therefore, a direct trading should be established between the businessmen of the two countries as a better way of cooperation in economic and trade sector.
- Your Excellency, in general, how would You evaluate the political, business and cultural negotiations held in Tashkent regarding the visit of Mr. Joelianto?
- In general, I would say that the negotiations between both sides have reached satisfactory results in boosting cooperation and mutual understanding in the fields of politics, economy and culture. The Committee on Bilateral Consultation at the level of the ministries of foreign affaires in the future as a forum to discuss and share of ideas and experiences for strengthening bilateral relations as well as to enhance the welfare of both people.
We hope that in the next meeting of the Committee on Bilateral Consultation between Uzbekistan and Indonesia, which will take place in Jakarta in 2008, there will be working panels that involve not only representatives of the two ministries of foreign affairs but also from other ministries and agencies which deal with economy, investment, trade, oil and gas, tourism, property, health and custom.
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Date: Jul 15, 2007
Source: Uzbekistan Today |
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