French Ambassador Gerard Cros's message on the Bastille Day anniversary
French Ambassador Gerard Cros's message on the Bastille Day anniversary
The 14th of July, and in particular this year's, represents not just a National Holiday for the nation of France but also a day which people of all colours and creeds may celebrate. The values of equality, freedom and kinship for which the French Revolution stood are notions which have relevance to those from all walks of life. In my role as French Ambassador here in Indonesia, I wish on this day to extend a warm hand of friendship, not just to my fellow countrymen, but also to the Indonesian people. With this I also wish to emphasise France's solidarity with Indonesia during a time when the country faces many difficulties to overcome and the hopes of a nation to fulfill.
Whilst the relationship between France and Indonesia has always been good and industrious, in the last 10 years we have seen large development in the commercial and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The establishment of French companies in almost all of the major business sectors such as energy, telecommunications and banking, bear witness to this.
This presence in Indonesia is something which France very much wishes to preserve and strengthen in spite of the economic troubles which Indonesia is currently suffering. With this in mind, last April the French held an exhibition (France High Tech) to proudly showcase its new and advancing technologies. Officially opened by the Minister for Foreign Trade, Mr. Dondoux, the exhibition allowed more than 15,000 visitors to learn about France's specialist skills in the technologies field. It also meant that France could underline to the Indonesian business sector its continuing commitment to staying in Indonesia.
France is also participating in the international Aid efforts to help Indonesia. It has contributed a considerable amount to the budget of the IMF, the World Bank and to the Asian Development Bank. In the scheme of things, France's contribution has always been consistent. In the last 10 years France has granted Indonesia a sum of US$9.5 billion to aid development in many different fields, such as health, environment and telecommunications. In the autumn of last year, France also lent its efforts to dealing with the terrible forest fires which ravaged certain parts of the country by providing Indonesian firefighters with the equipment to combat them.
In the same vein, France is now helping Indonesian students to overcome their financial difficulties through its special grants programs which allow young Indonesians to pursue their studies in France and researchers to complete their training through work experience in France. Furthermore, an emergency rescue package has been put in place for those Indonesian students already in France, to permit them to finish their stay under the best possible conditions. Finally, a new set of grants has just been made available for Indonesians, already in the world of work, to take up courses at a French business school.
In the arts sector, the French Cultural Centres have recently put great emphasis on Indonesian art. Many Indonesian artists have already seen their work exhibited in centres across the country.
One of the most striking aspects of this year's 14th of July celebrations will naturally be its ties with this year's World Cup and the exciting and enthralling moments that people worldwide have experienced together. Indonesians show great knowledge and enthusiasm for the game of football and its stars, including our own French ones, which equals that of any supporter lucky enough to be present at any of the matches in France.
The importance of the Republic of Indonesia in the diplomatic scene, its economic clout and the influence of its culture in Asia puts it in a category of its own. These are qualities which France both acknowledges and esteems are the catalysts of the good relationship and spirit of cooperation which bring our two countries together.