Indonesia, Turkey plan $2 billion in trade by 2007: Envoy
Indonesia, Turkey plan $2 billion in trade by 2007: Envoy
Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post/ Jakarta
Departing Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia Feryal Cotour Onder says the relationship between Turkey and Indonesia is moving in a positive direction and there are big plans on the horizon.
Ambassador Onder, a career-diplomat, is returning to Ankara on Saturday at the end of her four-year tenure here.
Being a woman from a region where many women cannot vote, or even drive, Onder said she had never faced any problems performing her duties in Indonesia.
"I felt at home in Indonesia all these years. We have so many similarities. Turkey and Indonesia are Muslim-majority nations. People are friendly and the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here are very helpful," Onder told The Jakarta Post at an interview at her office on Thursday.
With a degree in political science from Ankara University, Onder speaks fluent Turkish, French and English. Earlier serving as a diplomat in Kuwait, Belgium, France and Germany, Indonesia is her first top-level assignment. In her spare time, she collects handicrafts and reads.
Speaking with the candor of a diplomat who is leaving her post, Onder said both countries had enormous potential to raise the present level of relations to new heights, especially in trade.
"At the political level, our relations with Indonesia are excellent. But the present economic ties are not commensurate with the real potential. Both countries have been taking measures to boost trade ties and to form a new partnership."
Turkey's bilateral trade with Indonesia tripled during Onder's ambassadorship.
"The trade value jumped from US$261 million in 2000 to $677 million in 2004. Still, there is big room for further growth, given both countries' size and economic potential."
Based on the groundwork laid by Onder, Turkey and Indonesia are embarking on an ambitious plan to increase the trade volume to $2 billion by the end of 2007.
Onder said a Turkish trade delegation visited Indonesia for the first time two weeks ago to network with their Indonesian counterparts and explore business opportunities.
In June, Indonesia's Ministry of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu visited Turkey to participate in the Joint Economic Commission meeting and to promote bilateral trade.
In recent years the balance of trade with Turkey has been in favor of Indonesia. Indonesia exported $623 million worth of goods -- mainly man-made staple fibres, vegetable fats and oils electrical equipment, rubber, cotton and machinery -- to Turkey in 2004 and imported just $54 million worth of goods -- mostly tobacco, milling industry products, chemicals and construction materials.
Turkey's increasing prominence in Indonesia, especially after last year's deadly tsunami tragedy, is largely due to Onder.
The Turkish nation responded quickly to the disaster, sending volunteers, relief teams and non-governmental organizations to Aceh.
"The Turkish government has given $2.6 million in aid to Indonesia. (While) Turkish people had (privately) collected some $20 million. We established food distribution centers, bakeries and medical facilities. The Turkish Red Crescent is still active in Aceh," the 58-year-old diplomat, said.
Onder said the most important Turkish contribution was bread.
"We established a bakery which makes bread for 5,000 people every day. Acehnese people love this bread," Onder said.
The Acehnese, Onder says, occupy a special place in the hearts of the Turks. The relationship between Aceh and Turkey goes back to the 16th century when Turkey's Ottoman Empire helped the Acehnese in their fight against Portuguese troops.
"At that time Turkey sent its troops to Aceh and trained them in warfare. After the mission, some troops returned home and some people decided to stay there. That's why the Turkish people's response was so quick and enormous when the tsunami tragedy happened," Onder said.
"Our Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Aceh in early February and met President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss future cooperation between both countries."
She said the Turkish Red Crescent was building 1,500 houses at a total cost of $15 million in Aceh.
Another aspect Turkey considers an important positive development is the memorandum of understanding signed by the Indonesian government and the Aceh rebels.
"We welcome this development. At the same time we strongly support the territorial integrity of Indonesia," Onder said.
She said her stay in Jakarta was an unforgettable one and she would always remember Indonesia and her Indonesian friends.