Maystadt here to boost Indonesian-Belgian ties

JAKARTA (JP): Visiting Belgian Vice Prime Minister Philippe Maystadt met with President Soeharto yesterday in a bid to boost economic cooperation between the two countries.

Maystadt, who is also minister of finance and foreign trade, disclosed that Belgian private companies were especially interested in the business of rail transportation and water purification.

Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad and the Belgian vice prime minister signed an agreement yesterday on the prevention of double taxation and tax evasion.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Indonesia exported goods worth US$681 million in 1996 to Belgium and Luxembourg, while its imports from the two countries were only $393 million.

According to Belgian Embassy figures for 1996, Indonesian exports to Belgium were worth $400 million, while imports were only worth $300 million.

Belgium, a member of the World Bank-led Consultative Group on Indonesia has not committed any loans to Indonesia for the 1997/1998 fiscal year.

In the 1996/1997 fiscal year it committed $16.1 million.

"I hope that the two countries can boost their trade and economic relations," Maystadt said. (prb)