Indonesian trade mission to go to Eastern Europe

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of company executives are to tour three Eastern European countries, Poland, Slovakia and Rumania in September and early October to promote Indonesian exports.

Zulkifli Siregar, chairman of the National Agency for Export Development, the organizer of the tour, told a discussion yesterday that the executives will participate in three separate programs in the three former communist countries.

The programs include a trip to the three countries on Oct. 1 to Oct. 10, "the First Economic Forum Poland-Southeast Asia" in Warsaw from Sept. 2 to Sept. 3 and the 22th Bucharest International Fair from Oct. 1 to 12 in Bucharest.

Yesterday's discussion, on market opportunities in Eastern Europe, was attended by the expected participants in the trade mission. The speakers were the economic counselors of the three Eastern European countries.

The director of the agency's center for export information. Ary Wahyuni, said that Indonesia should seize its opportunities to increase its exports to the three East European countries, which all have moderate per capita incomes.

Poland, with a population of 38.4 million, has a per capita income of US$1,960; Slovakia, 15.7 million people, $1,920, and Rumania, 23.2 million people, $1,090.

Artur Dabkowski, deputy commercial attache at the Polish Embassy, said Eastern European countries are now building trade relationship with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

To promote trade links, Poland provides many facilities for developing countries, including the reduction of import duties on some commodities, like coffee, natural rubber, coconut and cocoa beans.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Indonesia's exports to Poland increased to $105.4 million in 1995 from $98.7 million in 1994 and $60 million in 1993, while its imports increased to $50.8 million in 1995 from $44.8 million in 1994 and $25 million in 1993.

Dragos-Mihai Serbanescu, economic counselor at the Rumanian embassy, expressed concern that Indonesia, despite being the biggest country in ASEAN, has the smallest trade volume with his country.

According to the statistical bureau, Indonesia's exports to Rumania rose to $15.9 million in 1995 from $8 million in 1994 and $13 million in 1993, while its imports increased to $82 million in 1995 from $12.5 million in 1994 and $4.3 million in 1993. (jsk)