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.