Italy holds seminar to boost trade

JAKARTA (JP): The Federation of Italian industries would hold a seminar here on Monday and Tuesday to discuss trade and investment cooperation with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and business communities.

According to Dino Sorrentino, the Italian attache for economic and commercial affairs, the seminar will present a deputy chairman of Kadin, Iman Taufik, and Italian Ambassador Mario Brando Pensa as speakers.

"The Italian delegates are mostly businessmen in mechanical, chemical, pharmaceutical, transport and finance sectors," Sorrentino said.

Medium and small Italian firms are interested to cooperate with Indonesian partners in the manufacturing sector to produce textiles, marble and consumer goods, he said.

He said that during the January-October period of 1996, Indonesia's trade deficit with Italy increased to US$380 million from $9 million in the same period of 1995 because its exports to Italy decreased to $619 million from $633 million, while its imports from that country increased to $999 million from $642 million in 1995.

Sorrentino said the large increase of Indonesia's trade deficit with Italy was caused by the increase in Italy's exports of ceramics and wood working machinery and chemical products. (10)