Indonesia to join Indian Ocean grouping<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia along with 13 other countries are set
\nto launch the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional
\nCooperation (IOR-ARC) next year as a vehicle to further enhance
\ncooperation among countries in the region.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a statement here
\nyesterday the forum will formally be launched during a
\nministerial meeting in March in Mauritius.<\/p>\n
\"For Indonesia, its participation in the IOR-ARC will
\ncomplement other sub-regional and regional cooperation it is
\nalready participating in forums, such as ASEAN, Asia Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation and Asia-Europe Meeting,\" the statement
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The idea of forming an Indian Ocean grouping was launched by
\nMauritius when it invited six countries -- Australia, India,
\nKenya, Oman and Singapore and South Africa -- for a meeting in
\n1995. By the end of the meeting they had agreed to form the
\nIndian Ocean Rim Initiative.<\/p>\n
The initiative was founded on the desire to create a
\nfoundation of cooperation between countries in the Eastern and
\nWestern half of Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n
The forum would focus its activities mainly on economic
\ncooperation particularly trade and investment. Activities are
\nalso a combined effort between the government, private sector and
\nacademics.<\/p>\n
In a subsequent meeting several months later, the grouping
\nagreed to invite seven other countries to participate: Indonesia,
\nMadagascar, Malaysia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Tanzania
\nand Yemen.<\/p>\n
A personal invitation for Indonesia to join in the Indian
\nOcean grouping was delivered to President Soeharto here in April
\nby a special envoy of Mauritian Prime Minister Ram Gulam.<\/p>\n
In preparation of next year's meeting, senior officials of the
\n14 countries gathered in Mauritius last week.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian delegation, which participated for the first
\ntime, was headed by the Foreign Ministry's Director General for
\nForeign Economic Relations Soemadi Brotodiningrat.<\/p>\n
The meeting successfully produced a declaration and work
\nprogram for the new forum which would be forwarded at the
\ninaugural ministerial meeting in March. (mds)<\/p>",
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