Indonesia, Argentina want to boost trade ties

Indonesia, Argentina want to boost trade ties

JAKARTA (JP): Argentinean and Indonesian businessmen were
urged on Tuesday to boost bilateral trade relations between both
countries.

Indonesian special envoy to South America Suryo B Sulisto
called on Indonesian businessmen to penetrate Argentina's market
more aggressively, citing that neighbors Malaysia and Singapore
had a strong business establishment in that country.

"We depend too much on traditional markets like Europe, the
United States and Japan," Suryo said on the sidelines of a
business luncheon organized by the Indonesian Argentinean Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (IACCI).

Suryo said demands in these traditional export markets were
often saturated, whereas opportunities in South American markets
were still large.

He said Indonesia always experienced a deficit in trade with
Argentina. Indonesian exports reached US$30 million in 1999,
while Argentina's exports amounted to $80 million in the same
year.

IACCI data says Indonesia has export opportunities in
Argentina for its agricultural products, textiles, construction
material, electricity, computers and software, aerospace,
housewares, industrial equipment and medical and scientific
equipment.

IACCI chairman Alan Wolff called on Argentinean businessmen to
invest in Indonesia.

Wolff said unrest in parts of Indonesia would not pose any
problems for Argentinean investment in Indonesia.

"Security matters like we have in Aceh and Maluku are not a
problem because most would invest in Java," he said.

He said by establishing a production plan in Indonesia,
Argentinean investors could have better access to Southeast Asian
markets. Their products could cut the transportation costs to
make their products cheaper.

He said between 10 and 12 Argentinean companies had
established operations in Indonesia, including oil and gas
company YPF-Maxus, which is the country's largest offshore oil
producer with an output of about 150,000 barrels per day. (03)