Embassy to organize Chilean Week

Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Chile established diplomatic relations with Indonesia exactly 40 years ago. To mark this historic occasion, the Chilean Embassy in Jakarta is planning to organize Chilean Week with a series of events in the capital and Bali.

Chilean Ambassador to Indonesia James Sinclair Manley said on Wednesday that his office would organize a Chilean food festival, poster exhibition, a wine tasting event, and a friendly golf tournament next week.

"With the theme, Forty Years of Chilean and Indonesian Diplomatic Relations: A friendship joined by the Pacific, the Embassy organized a poster contest from July 15 to Aug. 15 to introduce and promote Chile among young Indonesians. The Chilean food festival and poster exhibition will be held from Sept. 12 to Sept. 19 at the Gran Melia Hotel in Jakarta," Sinclair, who submitted his diplomatic credentials to then president Abdurrahman Wahid on Sept. 15, 2000, said.

Chile, one of the longest (4,300 kilometers) countries as well as the narrowest (180 km) in the world, will celebrate its 195th anniversary of independence on Sept. 18. The embassy will host a national day reception on Sept. 19.

"Besides all these, we are also planning to open our first Honorary Consulate in Bali this month," Sinclair added.

All these celebrations coincide with the 60th anniversary of Indonesia's independence.

The relations between Indonesia and Chile have grown closer and deeper during the last 40 years.

"Chile has become one of Indonesia's closest friends in the South American region, while Indonesia stands out as a friend of Chile in Southeast Asia," Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda wrote in his foreword to the booklet 40 years of Chilean and Indonesian Friendship.

While acknowledging the importance of Chile's relations with Indonesia, the Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs said both countries could become a natural and productive bridge between the two sides of the Pacific Basin, for the fostering of economic growth and development.

Chile, a country of 16 million people, is one of Indonesia's largest trading partners in South America. In 2004, the total trade volume reached US$259 million and it may surpass the $300 mark this year.