Israel wants to develop ties with Indonesia<\/p>\n
By Oei Eng Goan<\/p>\n
JERUSALEM (JP): Israel wants to build friendly and diplomatic
\nties with Indonesia and wishes to see their relations develop
\nnaturally now that a major change has taken place in the world's
\nlargest Muslim country, Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation
\nShimon Peres said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Peres said there was no reason why Israel and Indonesia should
\nnot become good friends as the two countries have never been
\ninvolved in a conflict nor have they been hostile with each
\nother.<\/p>\n
He told a group of visiting Indonesian journalists at the
\nKnesset building that Indonesia under the leadership of President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid had started developing towards democracy and it
\nhad brought a great message, not only to Israel but also to the
\ninternational community.<\/p>\n
\"While President Wahid may have some problems with his sight,
\nhe doesn't have problems with his insight. He takes things in a
\nvery impressive and humane way,\" Peres said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations, and
\nJakarta has made it clear that it will not set up ties until the
\nJewish state acknowledges the existence of an independent
\nPalestinian nation and returns all Arab land currently under
\nIsraeli occupation.<\/p>\n
\"I know that Indonesia is very concerned with the Palestinian
\nissue, but so are we. We don't consider ourselves hostile to the
\nPalestinian or to the Muslim world,\" Peres noted, adding that the
\nsuccess of Palestinian people is also considered as the success
\nof Israeli people.<\/p>\n
\"We have relations with the Palestinians so why should
\nIndonesia's be less than the Palestinian (Authority),\" remarked
\nPeres, who was Israeli prime minister following the assassination
\nof Yitzhak Rabin by a Zionist zealot in 1995.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on opposition by certain Indonesian
\nIslamic groups to President Wahid's suggestion of establishing
\nties with Israel, Peres said he understood the situation and the
\nproblems faced by the Indonesian President because Indonesia
\nbelonged to the Muslim world.<\/p>\n
\"When I met President Wahid in Davos, I didn't ask him for
\neverything. I know the President has a lot of problems. He told
\nme about his idea of holding an interreligious meeting and about
\nthe importance of commercial ties. And I think we must give him
\ntime. We agreed that things should take their course nicely and
\ngradually and I'm sure they will.\" Peres said, adding that Israel
\n\"prays for Wahid and that his unorthodox approach will win the
\nday for the benefit and for the good of the people of Indonesia\".<\/p>\n
Noting the new Indonesian government's interest in improving
\nits agriculture, Peres said that Israel's high technology could
\nhelp Indonesia in this sector, as it had done so in India and
\nChina.<\/p>\n
Israel's advanced agricultural technology is known worldwide,
\nin particular its successful conversion of desert land into
\narable plots.<\/p>\n
One of the deputy speakers of the Knesset, Gideon Ezra, who
\nrepresents the Likud Party opposition in the Israeli coalition
\nparliament, said he fully agreed with idea of having bilateral
\ntrade and diplomatic ties with Indonesia, now that the Jakarta
\ngovernment had become more transparent and democratic.<\/p>\n
\"We are willing to foster ties with every democratic nation in
\nthe world, despite the fact that they are Muslim countries,\" Ezra
\nsaid, citing the relations that Israel had built with Islamic
\nnations like Algeria and Morocco.<\/p>\n
Separately, Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Ran Cohen
\nsaid it was his hope direct bilateral trade ties could be
\nestablished in the foreseeable future, as it would benefit both
\nIndonesia and Israel.<\/p>\n
Cohen said that during his meeting with his Indonesian
\ncounterpart Jusuf Kalla in Seattle in November, they agreed to
\ncontinue talks on how to build cooperation in the trade and
\nindustrial sectors.<\/p>\n
\"We can start by having exchange visits of trade delegations,
\nso as to open the hearts of and the roads for our business people
\nto cement trade relations,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Last month, an Israeli trade delegation visited Jakarta to
\nexplore ways to expand cooperation with the Indonesian business
\ncommunity. Some Israeli businessmen said, however, that it was
\ndifficult for them to come to Jakarta due to the absence of
\ndiplomatic ties between the two governments.<\/p>\n
Besides, they have to pay a high price for their visas.
\nCurrently the Jakarta government charges around US$200 to $250
\nper visa.<\/p>",
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