Namibia gateway for Indonesian exports

Namibia gateway for Indonesian exports

JAKARTA (JP): Visiting Namibian President Sam Nujoma has
suggested his country be used as a gateway for Indonesian exports
to Africa.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, who revealed the content
of talks between President Soeharto and Nujoma at Merdeka Palace
yesterday, said the offer was of interest to Jakarta.

Nujoma is in Indonesia for a three-day official visit.

Namibia, as a member of the South Africa Development Economic
Cooperation (SADEC) forum, receives various trade favors from
Latin American countries and the European Union, Moerdiono said.

"Indonesia gives serious attention to this offer because we
can penetrate African markets and, maybe, indirectly also get to
the European Union market and Latin American countries," he
said.

The two leaders held 90-minute talks and discussed bilateral
and international issues, including the Non-Alignment Movement
(NAM).

As a member of the 113-strong member movement, Nujoma proposed
the establishment of a permanent secretariat in order to
strengthen the movement.

"The President gives attention to this proposal but of course
it is up to the members to decide," Moerdiono said.

The next NAM summit will be held in Pretoria in September next
year.

When Indonesia hosted the NAM summit in Jakarta in 1992, it
openly opposed the idea, citing that by having a permanent
secretariat NAM would become an organization rather than a
movement.

Separately, ministers of the two countries held parallel talks
at the Ladies' Saloon of Merdeka Palace. Indonesia was
represented by Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, Minister of Industry
and Trade Tungky Ariwibowo and Moerdiono. Namibia was represented
by Foreign Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab and Minister of Trade and
Industry Hidipo Hamutenya.

Alatas and his counterpart Gurirab signed an agreement to set
up a joint commission in economic and technical cooperation.

Soeharto hosted a banquet last night to honor Nujoma and his
wife Theopoldine Kovambo Nujoma. In his pre-dinner speech,
Soeharto recalled how Indonesia consistently supported the
Namibian people's struggle, led by Nujoma, for independence.

"We supported your struggle under the SWAPO (South West Africa
People's Organization), and we sent our best soldiers to
supervise the election after you gained your independence in
1990," Soeharto said.

This morning Nujoma and his entourage will visit state-owned
palm oil plantation PTP IV in Pabatu and Lake Toba in North
Sumatra, and stay overnight.

Tomorrow he will fly to Bali, before returning home on Monday
night. (prb)