35 countries confirm visit to product expo

JAKARTA (JP): About 250 executives from 35 countries have confirmed their visits to the Indonesian Product Exhibition '95, which will be held here on Aug. 12 to Aug. 27 to commemorate the nation's golden anniversary, said the exhibition's organizer yesterday.

"Most of the foreign businessmen will be grouped in delegations, which will come from 27 countries," said Herman Wiriadipoera, general manager of PT Napindo Mediapratama.

He said at a technical meeting for the exhibition's participants that the countries to be represented by the foreign visitors will include Australia, Austria, China, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain and the United States.

"The delegation of 50 from the Netherlands will be led by Queen Beatrix," he said.

Beatrix is scheduled to visit Indonesia from Aug. 21 until Aug. 31.

Herman said that because his company has sent invitations to a large number of business organizations in many countries, he expected that more foreign visitors would confirm their attendance in the coming days.

Herman said that as of yesterday, 800 private and state-owned companies had confirmed participation in the exhibition, the third of its kind after the first in 1985 and the second in 1990.

"We hope the number of participants will reach the target of 1000 by August 12," he added.

President Soeharto is expected to open the Rp 15 billion (US$6.7 million) showcase, which will occupy an indoor area of 4.5 hectares and an outdoor arena of 15,000 square meters.

Herman said that the National Agency for Export Development (NAFED) will establish an export information center at the expo arena and organize an export forum from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24, featuring trade officials as speakers.

"Indonesian trade attaches to 24 major countries and 13 heads of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers will be among the speakers at the forum to discuss opportunities of exporting products to countries where they are assigned," said Taufiqul Rahman of the NAFED.

Herman said the exhibition will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for professionals, buyers, government officials and students and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the public.

He projected that the exhibition and export forum would attract about three million visitors.(31)