Delegation to leave for U.S. to promote trade, culture
Delegation to leave for U.S. to promote trade, culture
JAKARTA (JP): A group of 78 business executives and 60 artists
will leave tomorrow for a 10-day visit to the United States to
enhance bilateral trade, investment and tourism, an executive
said yesterday.
The secretary of the U.S. committee of the Indonesian Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Chris Walean, told the press
that Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto will
lead the visit to New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, San
Francisco and Los Angeles.
The entourage will include Governor of Bank Indonesia J.
Soedradjad Djiwandono, Deputy Chairman of the Investment
Coordinating Board Sugihono Kadarisman, Secretary-General of
Ministry of Transportation Mochtarudin Siregar, top executives of
the state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia and BNI Bank, Chairman of
Kadin Aburizal Bakrie, former ambassador to the United States
A.R. Ramly, East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman and legislator
A.A. Baramuli.
The participating business executives will include Sofyan
Wanandi, James Riady, Fadel Mohammad, Sukamdani, Ciputra and
Tanri Abeng.
"The mission's objective is to promote trade and investment,
highlight specific opportunities in various sectors, strengthen
ties with the U.S. private sector organizations, increase
awareness of Indonesia among the U.S. private sector and
government, develop common agenda between private sectors and an
educational scholastic ambassador program for Indonesia," said
Walean, who has coordinated the U.S. visit.
The scholastic ambassador program is a special program to
educate 16 million American high school students about Indonesia.
The delegation will distribute teaching guidelines with basic
facts on Indonesia to around 70,000 high school teachers in the
United States.
Cooperation
Walean said the targeted business sectors for cooperation
between Indonesian and U.S. parties will include infrastructure,
banking and financial services, manufacturing, tourism, agro-
industry, capital market, mining and energy.
Hartarto is slated to hold a bilateral talk with Secretary of
Commerce Ron Brown and some roundtable meetings with U.S.
business people.
"We also plan to hold a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative
Mikey Kantor," said Walean.
Hartarto will also brief the U.S. Senate on Indonesia's
economic policy and host gala dinner receptions to commemorate
Indonesia's 50th anniversary in New York, Chicago and Los
Angeles.
Indonesia Ambassador to the United States Arifin M. Siregar
will host a business forum in New York, which will focus on an
economic and political overview.
Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents Sri
Mulyono Herlambang told the press that the mission will also
propose the establishment of direct flights from U.S. cities to
Indonesia. (kod)