Norwegian FM visits Indonesia to boost bilateral relations

Norwegian FM visits Indonesia to boost bilateral relations

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson, who came here on
Saturday on a three-day visit, and his Indonesian counterpart
Hassan Wirayuda, held bilateral talks on Sunday in Jakarta, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release.

Both ministers discussed a strategy to boost bilateral ties
and explored the idea of establishing an Indonesia-Norway joint
commission. The commission, if launched, would become a medium
for Norway and Indonesia to enhance bilateral cooperation in many
fields jointly agreed by the two countries, the release said.

"The meeting between the Indonesian and Norwegian foreign
ministers will open a new chapter in relations between the two
countries. It will be an attempt to widen and boost bilateral
ties, including in the fishery and marine sector as well as in
trade and investment areas," the statement said.

Indonesia has signed five bilateral agreements -- Trade in
1951, Aviation (1971), Avoidance of Double Taxation (1988),
Investment Guarantees (1994) and Improvement and Protection of
Investment (1994) -- with Norway so far.

Hassan and Peterson also discussed preparations for the
forthcoming dialog on human rights, which will be held from May 4
through May 5 in Jakarta. Since its launch in 2002, the dialog
has been working as a platform for both countries to cooperate
within the field of human rights. Norway, a non-European Union
country with a population of 4.4 million, offers training and
education in the field of human rights to Indonesians, and
support to the judicial system.

The two countries have signed a letter of intent to combat
widespread illegal logging; it also covers the timber trade and
timber products.

Peterson was scheduled to meet Minister of Trade and Industry
Rini Soewandi on the last day of his tour, on Monday.

Peterson's visit comes at a time when exiled leaders of the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have begun relocating some of their
activities from Sweden to Norway, which has a more liberal
refugee policy than Sweden.

In its latest edition, the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern
Economic Review, quoting GAM officials, said that within the last
three years some 200 political refugees from Aceh had gone to
Norway and opted to settle there.

GAM was forced to move its base from Sweden to Norway amid
stepped-up efforts by Jakarta to prove the exiled leaders were
engaged in terrorist activities.