Indonesia, Vietnam seal one-year rice deal
Indonesia, Vietnam seal one-year rice deal
HANOI (JP): Indonesia's State Logistics Agency (Bulog) signed
here on Wednesday a one-year deal to import 500,000 tons of rice
from state-run Vietnam Southern Food Corp (Vinafood 2).
Bulog would start importing the rice next year, but the size
will be adjusted to the country's domestic needs, according to
Bulog chairman Widjanarko Puspoyo.
Widjanarko, however, refused to mention the pricing, but said
that the payment would be made two years after the shipment.
Bulog had said previously it did not plan to import rice
during the next two years because of sufficient stocks and to
protect local farmers from cheap imports.
Indonesia was importing rice from a number of countries,
including Vietnam, during domestic troubles in 1998-1999.
The signing of the rice-purchase agreement in Hanoi was
witnessed by visiting Indonesian President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, her counterpart President Tran Duc Luong and
officials from both countries.
Megawati arrived in Vietnam earlier on Wednesday for a brief
visit.
In Hanoi, Megawati held bilateral talks with Tran Duc Luong
and with Prime Minister Phan Van Kai.
During their talks, according to State/Cabinet Secretary
Bambang Kesowo, Megawati asked Vietnamese leaders to complete
bilateral talks on establishing borders between the two countries
in the South China Sea.
Megawati also invited her counterpart to visit Jakarta, which
was responded positively by the Vietnamese president. He promised
to find time to visit Indonesia.
From Hanoi, Megawati then headed to the capital of Laos,
Vientiane. The President's entourage, however, arrived almost
one-hour late because her plane had to wait for a car carrying a
group of journalists, which had broken down on the way to Hanoi's
Noi Bai Airport.
In Vientiane, Megawati held talks with President Khamtay
Siphandone and Prime Minister Bougnang Vorachit.
Megawati's visit to Laos is the third leg of her Southeast
Asian tour after Vietnam and the Philippines.
In Manila, according to Bambang Kesowo, Megawati asked
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to help prevent arms smuggling
across their respective borders.
Bambang told the media on board the Garuda Boeing 737-400
carrying the President and her entourage from Manila to Hanoi
that the President had made the request during their talks at
Malacanang Palace on Tuesday evening.
Megawati expressed concern following reports of increasing
illegal arms trade across the borders of the two nations.
Reports have claimed that arms smuggling was rampant,
particularly following the wave of violence in the southern
Philippines and Indonesia's regions of Maluku, Kalimantan, Aceh
and Irian Jaya.
"This matter is certainly not expected to jeopardize the
stability of both countries, especially in certain nearby areas,
such as the southern Philippines," Bambang said.
The official said Arroyo agreed to provide the necessary
assistance, as the Philippine president thought that a joint
effort must be initiated in order to overcome such illegal
activities.
Megawati also discussed violations of maritime borders, as
well as separatist issues, Bambang added. (dja)
HANOI (JP): Indonesia's State Logistics Agency (Bulog) signed
here on Wednesday a one-year deal to import 500,000 tons of rice
from state-run Vietnam Southern Food Corp (Vinafood 2).
Bulog would start importing the rice next year, but the size
will be adjusted to the country's domestic needs, according to
Bulog chairman Widjanarko Puspoyo.
Widjanarko, however, refused to mention the pricing, but said
that the payment would be made two years after the shipment.
Bulog had said previously it did not plan to import rice
during the next two years because of sufficient stocks and to
protect local farmers from cheap imports.
Indonesia was importing rice from a number of countries,
including Vietnam, during domestic troubles in 1998-1999.
The signing of the rice-purchase agreement in Hanoi was
witnessed by visiting Indonesian President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, her counterpart President Tran Duc Luong and
officials from both countries.
Megawati arrived in Vietnam earlier on Wednesday for a brief
visit.
In Hanoi, Megawati held bilateral talks with Tran Duc Luong
and with Prime Minister Phan Van Kai.
During their talks, according to State/Cabinet Secretary
Bambang Kesowo, Megawati asked Vietnamese leaders to complete
bilateral talks on establishing borders between the two countries
in the South China Sea.
Megawati also invited her counterpart to visit Jakarta, which
was responded positively by the Vietnamese president. He promised
to find time to visit Indonesia.
From Hanoi, Megawati then headed to the capital of Laos,
Vientiane. The President's entourage, however, arrived almost
one-hour late because her plane had to wait for a car carrying a
group of journalists, which had broken down on the way to Hanoi's
Noi Bai Airport.
In Vientiane, Megawati held talks with President Khamtay
Siphandone and Prime Minister Bougnang Vorachit.
Megawati's visit to Laos is the third leg of her Southeast
Asian tour after Vietnam and the Philippines.
In Manila, according to Bambang Kesowo, Megawati asked
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to help prevent arms smuggling
across their respective borders.
Bambang told the media on board the Garuda Boeing 737-400
carrying the President and her entourage from Manila to Hanoi
that the President had made the request during their talks at
Malacanang Palace on Tuesday evening.
Megawati expressed concern following reports of increasing
illegal arms trade across the borders of the two nations.
Reports have claimed that arms smuggling was rampant,
particularly following the wave of violence in the southern
Philippines and Indonesia's regions of Maluku, Kalimantan, Aceh
and Irian Jaya.
"This matter is certainly not expected to jeopardize the
stability of both countries, especially in certain nearby areas,
such as the southern Philippines," Bambang said.
The official said Arroyo agreed to provide the necessary
assistance, as the Philippine president thought that a joint
effort must be initiated in order to overcome such illegal
activities.
Megawati also discussed violations of maritime borders, as
well as separatist issues, Bambang added. (dja)