Bosnia and Herzegovina FM to visit RI

Bosnia and Herzegovina FM to visit RI

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Foreign affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen
Ivanic will arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday for talks on bilateral
issues, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Ambassador to Indonesia said in
Jakarta.

"Ivanic -- accompanied by Natasa Zirojevic, Chief of the
Cabinet of the Minister, Milan Lovric, president of the country's
foreign trade chamber and Ibrahim Efendic, head of the Asia and
Africa department -- will meet President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono," Ambassador Zdravko Rajic said in a statement sent to
The Jakarta Post on Monday.

During his three-day visit, Ivanic, a journalist turned
politician, will hold bilateral talks with his Indonesian
counterpart Hassan Wirayuda.

The issues to be discussed during the talks include, the
preparation of the establishment of a joint committee for the
implementation of the trade agreement and efforts to promote
bilateral cooperation.

The two ministers also were planning discuss the possibility
of opening the Indonesian embassy in Sarajevo, the capital of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the statement said.

Indonesia recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 20, 1992,
just after its separation from the then Yugoslavia and
established diplomatic relations at the level of the ambassador
in 1994.

Indonesian Ambassador to Hungary Sapartini Singgih Kuntjoro
Jakti is also representing Indonesia in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a
country of about four million people with a GDP (gross domestic
product) of 6.1 billion euros.

The ministers also plan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding
on the establishment of bilateral consultations between the two
countries.

Indonesia has also played a role in helping to bring about
peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jakarta sent 40 police officers
as part of a UN mission to Bosnia as part of the International
Police Task Force.

President Susilo was Chief Military Observer of the United
Nations Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina in November
1995.

The two countries' chambers of commerce are also expected to
sign a Memorandum of Understanding to improve trade relations.

"For the period January 2003 to October 2003, Indonesia's
exports to Bosnia and Herzegovina reached 313,555 euros and
imports from Bosnia and Herzegovina about 46,388, euros,"
Embassy's deputy chief of the mission Nebojsa Regoje told the
Post.

Indonesia's largely exports cacao, furniture, wheat and wheat
products, wood and carpets, and imports electrical-related
products, machines and mechanical equipment, Regoje said.