Polish PM to visit RI to boost bilateral ties

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.