Polish PM to visit RI to boost bilateral ties

Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Poland's Prime Minister Marek Belka is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Friday to strengthen his country's 50-year relationship with Indonesia, the Polish Embassy in Jakarta said.

"Prime Minister is coming to Indonesia on a four-day working visit in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Indonesia," the embassy told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

While in Jakarta, Belka will meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday morning. He is also scheduled to meet with House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono and Association of Southeast Asian Nations deputy secretary-general Pangiran Dato Mashor Pangiran Ahmad.

"The prime minister will also visit Yogyakarta on Sunday and Bandung on Monday. In Bandung, Marek Belka will visit state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia and one electronics company," the embassy's deputy chief of mission/counselor, Slawek Strazewski, told the Post.

Belka is bringing with him a 15-member business delegation, which is expected to sign several commercial agreements with Indonesian businesspeople.

Poland's Ambassador to Indonesia Tomasz Lukaszuk told the Post recently his country saw Indonesia as a long-term strategic partner, and that Poland wanted to boost the existing bilateral cooperation and forge a strategic partnership with the country.

Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewski visited Indonesia last year.

Bilateral trade between Poland and Indonesia reached US$400 million last year, roughly the same level as pre-1997 economic crisis figures.

Indonesia exports electronic goods, computer parts, furniture and garments to Poland, which exports planes, helicopters, mining equipment and patrol boats to Indonesia.