Governor Sutiyoso leaves for Europe

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso left Jakarta on Monday night for Turkey and Europe in a bid to strengthen the sister city cooperation program with Jakarta, city administration's spokesman Kamaludin Santos said on Tuesday.

During his two-week trip Sutiyoso is scheduled to attend several meetings, including signing a letter of intent on trade, tourism and art and culture in Istanbul, Turkey; paying a courtesy call to Rotterdam Mayor H.J. Simons and attending the Asia-Pacific Metropolitan Conference in Berlin, Germany, Kamaludin said.

"Sutiyoso's visit to Berlin is also aimed at fulfilling the invitation from the city's mayor, Eberhard Diepgen," he said.

Antara reported on Monday that in Berlin Sutiyoso is scheduled to make a comparative study on transportation and waste management at the transportation and sanitary companies in Berlin.

"The governor will also sign a "Golden Book" at the City Hall," the news agency quoted a source at the Indonesian Consul General in Berlin as saying.

Sutiyoso will also meet Indonesians living in the city, the source said.

Kamaludin said that during the journey Sutiyoso is being accompanied by former head of the city's bureau for intercity and regional cooperation, Robert P. Silalahi, and one of the governor's adjutants.

Commenting on the governor's trip amid the economic crisis, City Council head of the United Development Party faction, Achmad Suaidy, head of the Golkar faction, Fatommy Asaari, and head of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, Lukman Mokoginta, expressed the hope that the trip would result in an increase in the number of investors coming to Jakarta.

"The economic crisis does not mean that our governor should be narrow-minded. I think this trip will benefit the city in the long run in that it will attract more investors," Fatommy said.

About Rp 300 million (US$37,500) has been earmarked from the 1998/1999 city budget for the governor's official travels. (ind)