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)