EC vice chairman due here

JAKARTA (JP): The European Commission's vice chairman, Sir Leon Brittan, will visit Indonesia on Monday and Tuesday for high-level talks with the government.

The commission said in a statement yesterday that Brittan is scheduled to meet with President Soeharto, Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto, Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo and Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave.

In the scheduled meetings, Brittan expects to discuss a wide range of matters, including Indonesian and European interests in follow-up to last month's Asia-Europe Meeting in Bangkok and prospects for cooperation in the pursuit of multilateral trade liberalization measures.

Major current multilateral trade issues include the telecommunications talks due to end on April 30, maritime transportation talks concluding on June 30 and the preparation for the World Trade Organization's first ministerial meeting at the end of this year. (rid)